Roses on my Grave
by flg13
Summary: I am reworking the entire story and have completed through Chapter 7. A lot of it made little sense, so hopefully it's a better now... Let me know if you like.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Rose

"You-" The man coiled under my blade.

"Yeah, me." I smiled down upon the ash blonde, master vampire. "I staked you. And?"

I had grown tired of his game. We had been in the brunt of the fight for 20 minutes already and it was time to call this argument. I could have easly gained the upper hand on him several times, but I chose to prolong it until this very point.

"My blade is inches from your heart, now..." I spoke slowly, so that the daft creature could understand what I was saying. "So tell me… Do you want me to play nice? Or not at all?"

"Where's your brother, Princess?" He hissed ominously.

Without though I glanced around. Marcus had run into over 15 minutes ago. I hadn't seen him since. I could hear the helicopter in the neighboring field and knew it had to be the team. He must have called for back up. He must have caught Clark and was already in the copter.

Clark had been the worst type of vampire. Teaming up with mobsters to do their bidding. He would hide the astranged victims here, in his home and dispose of them at will. Unfortunately, the victims had no will of their own though. Not after he green eyed them. Sure these were humans that had delt with the mob in one form or another, but they were still humans, non the less.

That was when it hit me. What he had asked. What he had called me.

"First of all, NO ONE calls me Princess." I slammed the back of his head into the ground with enough sheer force to hear his skull on the pavement of the driveway. "Secondly, I never said he was my brother."

"I know who you are." His full, round cheeks smiled up at me.

At that moment, looking into this horrible vampire's fanged face, I made my decision. Whether he knew me or not, he was going to die. I just ded to find some things out first.

"You have no idea who I am…" No one did. That information was kept highly classified and had been since my birth.

"You do know that it takes just one twist and your gone, right?" I slowly lifted my hand to eye level, watching it with full enthusiasm as I slowly snaped my fingers. Then I looked at him and smiled slowly. The true fact was that I hated doing this, he was another being and would have deserved to live, if he had chosen the right vampire proffesion. Why couldn't he have just been good to begin with?

"You look just like them you know." Now he seemed to be grasping at straws. This vamp knew absolutely nothing. Then he continued... "The perfect mix, just a lot shorter. It's sexy though."

That caused me to edge my blade even deeper into his chest. His eyes grew wider.

"Enough banter!" I snapped. Enough with the combatant coments. I was finished, and so was he. "You know why I have you here. So, as much as I enjoy this position, let's not play games anymore."

"Who says it's a game?.. Rosamond." He chuckled, meerly to himself.

Okay, so he had one on me. He knew my name. No one knew my name. No one was supposed to.

"How do you know my name?" I slammed his head into the pavement again, hearing the same lovely snap. "Tell me now!" I slammed his head a third time.

"I told you, you look just like them. Beautiful… Gray eyes and all."

"You know what? I have made an executive decision," I winked at the him. He knew too much. He had to be terminated. "We don't need you for our investigation." I gave a quick jerk to the hilt of the blade now in my hand just as he opened his mouth to speak again.

Now to come up with a story for Tate….

2 years later

Term

I opened the door and moved through the crowded night club. I hadn't expected it to be open to buisness. It was unusual to have a meeting like this in such a crowded place, but as soon as the atmosphere hit my senses it all made sense. A vampire bar. I should have known from the name, Bite2. Vampires were everywhere. I couldn't spot all of them, but I could sense them. The vibrations they let off were one of a kind. Strong and feral, while their scent was somewhat sweet to the taste of the air around them. Almost electric.

I glanced around taking in all of the industrial metal and lights around the place. From what I could make of the walls, they were black, but with all of the neon lighting - even the bar was lit from underneith - it seemed brighter. With the pumping tone of the music, the place was very upbeat and happening.

I was supposed to be meeting an old family friend here, I hadn't seen him in 17 years. He must have had a point to meeting me here. He wouldn't have set it like this otherwise.

"Oh!" A woman exclaimed, as she slammed into me from the side.

"I'm so sorry!" She fumbled around a bit before she stood up strait to meet me face on. Her look went crooked before she regained herself. "Are you alright?"

This little assailant couldn't have been more than Five feet tall. She could never have hurt me, but I froze. Unable to speak. She was beautiful and the look she gave me, although confused, was simply something otherworldly. Her dark brown hair was curled perfectly around her little, round face to reveal the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen in my life. I couldn't determine whether they were a light, sky blue or a faded gray, but in the meer seconds that it took her to completely straiten herself and move on, I knew that they would be burned into my mind forever.

I continued to survey the crowd as I wandered through. The woman that I had encountered was definately human (I knew from the heartbeat that I had heard), but aproximately seventy percent of the beings in here were not. They were vampires.

_What on earth could he have wanted to meet me here for? _He had asked if my family was still "intact." Of course we were, we never separated. Plus, I there was no way I could say "no." My family owed him too much grattitude to be so rude.

I made my way to the back where I had been told there was a staricase to the manager's office. When I slowly crept up the steps I wasn't sure what to expect or how he would recept me. My family had always left his kind with good graces, but my _kind_ could be less welcoming.

Upon knocking I was given the go ahead to enter. I moved slower than normal. Didn't want to startle the old fellow.

When I entered the room I took in two main things upon anything else, three of the four walls were one way mirrors. One could view the whole club from any given standpoint. It was definitely the owner's office. The second was standing in front of the largest view, overlooking the large dance floor.

He was my height with blond hair that shone nearly white in the poor lighting. Only one with heightened senses could see that it had panes of yellow shining through. Not once did he look in my dirrection as I walked to his side. He seemed on edge, with his hands folded behind his back as if he were taking a military stance. He swalled hard, his pained brown eyes concentrated on something below on the floor. He seemed as though he was actually on the verge of loosing his mind.

"Term. You've filled out quite a bit." His brittish accent was the only sound in this otherwise silent room. His voice seemed hallow and awkward and his attention was notibly elsewear. I was surprized he had even noticed.

"How goes it?" He moved his hand to shake mine.

"I run a lot. Have to keep fit." Inside joke. "I'm good. You?"

"How's your mum? Your brothers? It's been ages since I've made it 'round. I miss it. Simpler times those were. I was sorry to hear of your father." He asked ignoring my question.

"So were we. The family's good. Mom worries, like always. The guys are coming to their own, though. Although, they seem to think their indestructible. Jody, the youngest has even joined in. He's eighteen now, but still needs to watch the temper."

"He's a kid, it will come, Mate." The corner of his mouth turned up in a near sneer.

Silence suddenly seemed to be overwhelming. In the dimly lit room.

"Bnes, you didn't invite me here for small talk. You know who I am and I'm in your debt." I decided it was the easiest way to aproach the subject. It was time to get this over with. He had never asked for anything from us before, now was the time to repay the kindness he and his friend had bestowed upon us.

He looked at me then. Surpize and pain showed in his eyes. Then, just as soon as it was there, it was gone again and he was back to watching the crowed. It took years of practice to hide one's emotions. He has those years times 20.

"I never looked at it as you being in debted to me, Mate. I was friends with your great-grandfather as well as your father, I was there when you were born. I just have a small job that I need you for. I hold this very high on my priorities, I just can't do it myself. You were my last resort, but you should feel honored that I trust your abilities." He seemed a little hurt by what I had said. although I hadn't meant anything by it.

"What is the job?" Now I was gaining curiosity. I wouldn't kill anyone, but I idn't think he would need me for that anyway. Him being fanged and all.

"It's nothing too taxing. The pay is good. I just need you to play nice. Do a little baby-sitting for me, for a few months is all. Then you can go back to your family and no one is any wiser." He didn't look at me again, he only watched the dance floor.

"What would this baby-sitting entail?" I liked kids, but I couldn't spend months with them.

"See that girl down there? The one you ran into." Bones nodded toward the dance floor. The brunette that I had encountered was in plain view. "You'll be watching out for her. Make sure no one comes after her. Just make sure she's safe."

As I glanced down, I fully noticed her. She had drawn the crowd around her and her partner, but I knew that there was no way they would be watching him. Did she know he was a vampire?

I honestly couldn't blame the crowd for being pulled into her. She was amazingly beautiful. Her long dark brown hair glistened with a natural red under the lights. She had a mischievous smile that highlighted her high cheekbones and grey eyes and body of a true dancer, not skinny and anorexic, but from _true_ dance. She had a heavier bust with a small, but firm waistline and little to no strike. She was even more beautiful in full view.

"What's the story? Is she into something? She's human. Why would anyone come after her?" Unless Bones is hiding her for some reason.

"Let's just say, that if anything ever happened to her I would hunt the bloke down and kill him myself." His words came to me like acid. "I just can't baby-sit her 24/7. She won't have me around her. She hates it when I have people fallow her. I have other things to tend to as it were. Anyway, she might not mind _you_ so much, Mate."

"Is that vampire one of her guards? Why choose me if you have vampires? Not that I was arguing or anything. I just don't understand." I defonitely was not arguing. She was gorgeous and I did owe it to him despite what he said. I just didn't understand. "I'll do it, but don't you have others who can protect her better than I can?" I knew he had goons for these things.

"There's no one else. We have had... Issues in the past. She's never come across your type before. She won't kill you if she doesn't know how. She's slick like that." He smiled. An honest smile, for a moment before he went on. "She's attending a liberal arts college, you're college age. A little older, mind you, but she won't know. I hope you can dance, Mate."

"I've dabbled in the past." I returned his momentary chuckle. "You know that." I had once told my father that I didn't want to fallow in his footsteps. I wanted my own life. Playing in a band. It didn't last long before he put an end to it all.

"-Why I asked you, Mate. Why I asked you... She dances and sings. The whole bit. If you need refreshing on your moves you have nearly 3 months before classes begin. I need someone to get in close. Someone she doesn't know or expect. She just needs backup if anything goes…. Off. She knows how to protect herself, she chooses not to. She's given up on herself. Won't let anyone help either." He paused, face twisting as if carefully thinking about his next words. "She's very… Special to me. I will not have anyone coming after her."

God damnit! They were a couple! … He was married. He had to be hiding her from his wife. Maybe Cat knew something and he that was what he was worried about.

"So, I baby sit, dance a little, and keep her safe." I nodded, although I was a little skeptical about this, if I was protecting her from a scorned lover this could be tough. The worst part was that I would probably be protecting her from Cat. Cat was dangerous. Military, hating all humanity dangerous.

"Exactly. I wouldn't get too close though, Mate. She may be little, but her bite _matches_ her bark." He smiled to himself before continuing. "Plus, I may not like it."

"How much do I get paid?" I didn't really care about the money. I had no finacial cualms. My bank account several million short of being empty. I just needed to change the subject. The fact that the beautiful young woman I was seeing below was possibly seeing the married vampire, that had just employed me to babysit her, made me sick.

"Everything you need is here, including the cash." Bones replied as he tossed me a fully stuffed manilla envelope.

Chapter 1

At first sight

Rose

As I made my way to my first academic class I beamed from the adrenaline of the past two hours of dancing. Sure I had to get here at 6am to remain discreet, but dancing was one of my outlets,I didn't mind. Dancing before classes helped me release and since I had been feeling murderous lately, now I felt somewhat calm and ready to take on the masses.

It was my first day back after having left half way through the year last year. Although I wouldn't say I left as much I would say that I had been kidnapped and people stared as I walked past. They could suspect anything. I had heard it all, but no one truly knew why I had been out.

I was concentrating on my books in my locker, ignoring the stares I recieved, when I noticed my former dance partner, Jesse down the hall. He was, as per usual, the center of attention. He had his arm around a beautiful lengthy blonde as he addressed the group around him. She was here for ballet. It was something one could just tell. They all had the same look. Everything about her tall, anorexic frame screamed it. I was happy that he had found someone. Then felt momentarily ashamed that I had left him on the lurch last year for our dance rutine.

I looked away, saddedned by the thought of him standing alone, looking for me behind the curtains. Then I thought better of it. I hadn't missed him. The boy was no good. He had deserved it.

Jesse was a singer, actor, dancer. He was 5'11", with blonde hair that fell loosely to his large, green eyes. He had a pretty frame, you could tell that the man had never done any real physical labor. He was just your average boy next door. That's why people liked him, they could relate and all the girls could swoon over him. He let it get to his head so much that had cheated on me when we were a couple. Several times... Yes, he had deserved what I had done to him.

"So, I heard that there's this new girl and she's a total bitch." A voice I knew all too well announced as they clopped up to me, dragging their heals down the marbled floors.

"Mira!" I squealed, throwing my arms around her. "You are a sight!" I took in her outfit from bottom to top. Spiked heals, tight faded blue jeans, a dyed tee with a black vest and a matching tie, complete with top hat that had her red hair flowing out around it. Yes, the girl was a classy rummage sale. She didn't care what people thought. She always dressed to show her emotions. That was what my brother loved about her... _Had_ always loved about her.

"Don't wet yourself, Honey." She rolled her eyes as she spoke with her New York accent. "If you hadn't kept in touch, I wouldn't be talking to you either."

"You're my best friend, you would have forgiven me sooner or later."

"You just couldn't shut me out because I know all your dirty little secrets... And I would squeel on a dime, baby!" She put her arm around me, pulling me along down the hallway. She was the only person who truly knew me down to the last detail and she loved all of our little surreptitious escapades together. I could truly be myself around her and she would never tell a soul about any of it. She had seen my heartbreak and witnessed the pain I had gone through. She too had felt the heartache my status brought. That was why I loved her so much. We were inseprable.

"How did he take it all, anyway? The whole "coming back thing to college" thing?" I laughed when she actually perethasized her words.

"Bones?" I knew she meant Bones, but I wanted some form of reassurance before I went there.

She gave a nod.

"Not well, at all. He's gone overboard with the protection. He even has his guards outside of my house. This," I looked around the halls, from the TV's located in all the corners that were playing crappy, student made videos, down to the marble floors for emphasis. "Is my only freedom."

"You haven't been strong for a while now, it's not your fault. You do know he just wants to keep you safe right?" I watched as her pupils tighted in the unspoken pain we both felt. She knew that I had gained my strength back, it was just something we never discussed. She suddenly shrugged and moved on, as if shaking something of her shoulders. "Freedom is what you make of it anyway. Embrace it while you have it."

"I intend to, Dear Watson. Trust me. I intend to."

She paused suddenly and had a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Does that mean that you'll be embracing this freedom at Hot Spot this weekend? Don't say no! We can still go to the field after."

Ah, Hot Spot was our club. A huge group of us always went there to unwind. It was tradition. We would always end the night with drinking in a local football field.

I glared out the corner of my eye at her and gave a sly smile, "Love to get rowdy."

"Yey. Thank God! You need a night out and I need my friend back." Mira gave a few little hops as she giggled and we continued on, walking right past the crowd of people that had surrounded around Jesse and strait on to class.

As I walked into the door to the classroom I felt the air shift. Almost like a heated current. I had never felt this before. I couldn't place it.

"Ah, Rose?"

"Yeah, Mir?" I could nearly taste an earthy undercurrent flowing through the air as I glanced around for the cause.

"We kind of need to get to our seats." Mira sounded concerned, but didn't move. For some reason she was frozen next to me.

Realizing how tightly I held her arm, I loosened my grip. I had stopped moving to glance around the room, holding Mira in a near death grip, ready to run.

I then noticed what had been the cause for my alarm. The instant I locked eyes with him I suddenly recalled that I had felt this sensation before. In a club one night. Months ago. When I had bumped into a tall, dark, handsome man in a leather motorcycle jacket. It was him, I would remember those deep brown eyes anywhere. It was as though they bore into me. They knew me. It could have been the intensity of the shade they were, but I decided at that moment that the power that I felt was eminating from his being.

All of my senses went on nerve as I looked away and started to move again. This wasn't a strange occurance. He had been sent here. He must have been watching me in the club that night. Maybe he had followed me. Had he been following me for months now and I hadn't noticed? Even longer? What had he seen?

"We'll sit in the back today, if that okay with you?" I glanced at Mira's face, hoping mine didn't give away a murderous glare as I ran the possibilities through my head. Trying to figure out who sent this guy and what he could be.

Although he was seated now, he was tall, I remembered that much from Bite2. He had short, wavy, dark brown hair that only hung an inch from his head at the longest point. His face was chisled, with a strong jawline that had a shadow from apparently not shaving this morning. I wouldn't miss that face anywhere.

His near-black eyes had connected with mine for just a moment that nght and I had felt some kind of jolt. I had originally assumed it was just some residual current from a passing goul or vamp, but now I had decided he was using some sort of magic. One unfamiliar to me. On me! A lot of magic. I had never come across this before. This was cause for concern.

We went to the two empty seats in the back of the class. I could feel him watching as we moved. I

felt his head turning, but I couldn't bring myself to return his gaze. What if that's what he wanted, so he could attempt something? Was he even that type of guy? Something deep down inside of me said no, but my mind screamed that I needed to have more facts before I came to any conclusion. He could be an axe-murdering, flesh-eating, fire-breathing zombie, for all I knew. I had come accross some strange characters in the past, it honestly wouldn't surprize me.

"You're going to have to explain something to me." Mira quietly pondered as we sat, watching the guy. "If you're free here, who sent Mr. Hungry Eyes over there?" Mira giggled quietly. So she had noticed.

"Who do you think?" I replied furiously in whispered tones. "Tate, Bones, or someone out to get me. Take your pick. I highly doubt anyone against me, though. He could have killed me by now. I don't even know what he is, I've never come across his kind before. Don't look into his eyes. He might use magic."

When I looked in his direction again he was facing the front of the room, but I could swear that the corners of his mouth were tipped into a smile. Could he hear us whispering?

"He's hot though." She gave a nervous giggle.

"But that wouldn't help if he was planning to massacre the student body, now would it?" I turned from her and nestled into my seat.

"If he was sent by Bones or Tate we don't have to worry about that and you have a hot bodyguard." Mira always had to have the last word.

"I don't need a bodyguard." I pouted. This would end soon enough if that was the case. I hated the idea that everyone thought I needed protection, but he was pretty hot.

One of the reasons I had sat here was so I could watch the guy in question. I knew enough from working on missions that it always worked to my benefit to watch my prey before I leapt into anything. This new guy was bound to mess up and give something away. If I didn't keep my eyes open now... Well, accidents did happen. I didn't need them to happen to me. It would give Bones a reason to put me on total lock down, again. The past several months had been bad enough. Every lockdown was getting worse.

The second reason was to avoid stares and questions that I knew were yet to come. I wonder what they were going to be this year. The year before I supposedly had a drug problem and spent 7 months in a rehab fecility. Oh, if that was the case...

Jesse moved into the room then and took the seat in the second row, about three seats up and one right from me. Right in front of my new friend. He wasn't very perceptive, he hadn't noticed me yet. I don't even think he noticed the new guy. He opened his books as the teacher entered the room.

A woman with a short blonde bob and a bounce to her heals stopped at the front of the class, as the bell rang. She paused with her books in arms and smiled at the class. Her name was Miss Klinger. I knew this from previous years. English was boring, but she made it interesting with her flippant attitude. Hence why I was in her class.

"Okay everyone, I have a new student to introduce to the class today." All the heads in the class turned to look, at the new guy who stuck out like a sore thumb with his deeper tan.

As Miss Klinger motioned to him, he stood. Lord, he was taller than I rembered! And muscular. Not a thick muscle but long, lean muscle.

"Term Coulter is our new student. He's derrived from Maine. Let's give him a welcome." Miss Klinger started to clap ecstatically. If the girls weren't busy drooling, they would have done the same. The guys gave sluggish nods and waves. It was quite amusing to watch.

"Term will be a level 3. Song, Dance and Act. So, if some of you would be nice and show him about the campus later I'm sure he would be grateful." I could see a couple of the level 3 ladies going nuts for their chances. I would have to keep tabs and make sure that none of these girls disappeared before I

found out what he was or what he was into.

Before he sat he looked pointedly in my direction. Although I had a heavy urge to run up to the increadibly handsome stranger and attack, my better judgement told me that now would not be the time. I was still trying to avoid eye contact at any cost. Until I knew more about him. This was going to be tricky.

I found myself wondering where he originally came from in Maine. I would have to look up the sups in Maine. I hated research.

"Okay," She shook her head, as if clearing it, had he messed with her mind? Could he do that? He was handsome and she was flighty, but it made no sense that she would act like _that_.

She continued, "Uhm… Yes, I also wanted to welcome you back, Rose. We missed you at year's end last year." She smiled warmly, attempting to put me at ease. It didn't work.

Suddenly _all_ eyes were focused on me and I was the spotlight. When you disappear right before a big proformance people don't take it too lightly. I received a lot of haughty glances. I could just feel the tension in the air.

"Hi again." I gave a curt wave, watching heads turn from Jesse and back to me. As his expression went from surprized to angry and angrier I could see faces lighten up in heavy interest. Oh, they had tons to gossip about now.

"Well," Keeping her smile she turned to the black board. "Shall we begin?"

"Please." Someone murmured with a sigh, from the back. A giggle followed.

"Where are you off to now?" Mirka asked me as I collected my things quickly. I had to get out of this room.

"_We, _my dear friend, are off to the dance studio. Level 3 remember?" I tried to laugh off my frustration.

"Ooh, _we_?" She sarcastically noted. "Honey, you know some talented people to be able to get back into a 3 spot."

"Uncle Tate loves me!" I put heavy emphasis on the uncle. Due to the fact that he wasn't my uncle at all. She got my joke immediately and we started to laugh. I had missed this. She had always been so understanding of that part of me and she even laughed at my corny jokes. That is a true friend.

"Senior Coulter left awful quick, don't you think?" She asked pointedly.

"I had noticed that, I'll deal with him later." I winked and readied myself to move out.

As we walked through the door Jesse was there, ready to strike. "Rose, we need to talk. In private. Now." His eyes moved to Mira. He was nervous and on edge, he didn't like to confront me and had no idea why. His own instincts actually working perhaps?

"_Don't know what could have brought this on…" _I joked internally about the situation. Of course, I knew it was coming. Might as well get it over with now.

"I'll go change up." Mira gave me a sympathetic smile, before she walked away.

"What is so important that it can't?" I turned to Jesse.

He looked like he was about to have an emotional breakdown, "I-I-" He couldn't find the right words. "You left. In the middle of the year."

"I had personal things to take care of." Like keeping a Vampire off my back.

"Look, I know I screwed up, but that was no reason to leave. You were my dance partner and my girlfriend and you left me on the lurch."

"Jesse, trust me, I didn't leave because of you. Although, you cheated on me. Three times… That I know of. I did have things that were a little more taxing going on in my life. I don't need to worry about what you're doing too."

"I apologized for that! It's no reason for you to ignore my calls. You didn't even write me or tell me what was up." He was speaking in frantic whispers. Looks like I had hit a soft spot. He deserved it.

"Apologies only get you so far and it doesn't get you anywhere with me." I moved closer, noticing that we had drawn an audience I lowered my voice to meet his whisper. "I have been done with you for eight months. You had proved that you were finished with me the minute you laid up with someone else.

Apparently you were finished with me a two years ago. So forgive me for not having been sympathetic toward you."

"That was when you changed! After-" He stopped mid sentence. He new not to go to that subject. Then he looked around to see the of students groups forming to see what would happen next. "We need to talk privately."

"This is as private as you will get with me." I bit out.

"Fine." He became nearly inaudible as he leaned over me. "Did you have a baby? Is that why you left?"

I couldn't help it. I started to laugh. A whole hearty laugh that I hadn't done in years. I should have seen it coming. It did seem strange that I disappeared for exactly 8 months, I just hadn't thought

that he would think that.

"Hell no!" I belted out and rained myself in to a quiet tone again. "We had that discussion nearly four years ago, Jesse. I can't have children. It's completely impossible for me to concieve."

I walked away, not giving him a chance to say anymore. I had to get my next class and standing around here with him wasn't buying me any time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rose

When life hands you lemons you squeeze the hell out of them until you get what you want.

I had made it in just enough time to put on the dress code required tank top, footless tights and flowing dance skirt. I didn't care what they called it, I called it a tutu and I felt ridiculous in it, but I had learned after 4 years at this school that it was necessity and I wasn't allowed to dance without it.

When I strode out I noticed that all of the ladies were still checking out the new meat. I had to agree with this activity. No one had ever looked so good in a black tank and sweatpants. The other guys looked like babies compared to him. Every muscle in his body was thinly defined and his perfectly

tanned skin stretched tightly over every curvature of muscle. An Aztec type tattoo wrapped around his bicep and there was another on his shoulder blade that was barely peeping through the tank. I found myself very intrigued. He was beautiful, with what seemed to be a side of dangerous.

I found myself tilting my head in wonder at his amazing appearance. I had to get my head together. He could be the enemy after all. That pretty face needed to go back where it came from.

"You do notice that the two of you are watching eachother, right?" Mira jearked my attention away. He seemed to be studying me as intently as I studied him.

I shook my head, as if to clear it.

"Okay class, We're picking partners for the year, so lets round up." Mrs. Wells had a firm presence. She was a tall, thin woman, with black hair and very large teeth. She looked pretty intimidating.

"Jesse, so glad you could join us!" She turned and bowed to him as he walked in the studio.

"Sorry I'm late, Mrs. Wells." Wow… Someone was sour.

She rolled her eyes as she moved over to the stereo and started with a pop song. "Now, to mix it up this year, everyone is shopping for a new partner.

"Okay. Susan, you start." Susan had deep brown ringlets of curls in her hair, a very thin figure and vivid blue eyes. She was gorgeous. She seemed peaceful as she ran up and started moving to the beat. She was good. I could just feel everyone cringe around me as she moved gracefully through her dance.

"Derrick." Mrs. Wells directed and Derrick moved in to dance with Susan.

This was the way Mrs. Wells viewed the chemistry between two dancers. If they could improvise here, or in a club, she felt that they had enough chemistry to dance together professionally.

Apparently, Derrick didn't quite click with Susan, he almost got kicked in the head. He was a good dancer, just better on his own than with a partner. I felt kind of bad for him. He was shorter than a lot of the guys here, only about 5'7", with long dark hair and a very thin build. He couldn't lift or dip

80% of the girls here.

"Jesse." Mrs. Wells called out and Derrick fell back allowing Jesse to dance with Susan.

Susan kept dancing as Jesse moved around her. They definitely had something there. Something that Jesse and I hadn't had in previous years, even though we were in a relationship. It was amazing watching the two of them. She was graceful and he added a little spunk to her movements.

"Wow." I heard Mira next to me, but I couldn't look away to see her face. They were...

"They're good." Was all I could think to say.

"Okay, who next?" She scanned the group of us that were waiting. "Now Rose, it's your turn." She looked over her shoulder to me as I walked to the floor.

I felt through the beat of the music. The song had changed to a Hip Hop number. I recognized the song right away and it cliqued, so I started to move.

"Term, let's try you." She called. "Sorry, Derrick. She _would_ take off your head."

I could tell by her body language that she wasn't happy to see me, she never was at first. I knew I would change her mind though. I always did.

I danced through the next Corus of 'right round' and started with a spin, then dipped down. Upon coming up with a pop Term grabbed my waist and leg doing a full turn and scooped me into a dip. The sudden flow of the invisible current between us shocked me. His magic. I thought. He smelled so good. Somewhat woodsy.

"Keep dancing." He whispered into my ear. As a true army child would, I fallowed my command.

We kept dancing like this until the song was nearly half over, by that time I had caught on to his style. There were even a few dips and tosses thrown in.

We were dancing without pause, like we had been dancing together for years. I had never danced that good with anyone. It was like he knew me on a personal level. I would have normally said that it was because he had spied on me, but ithis was something more. It was like I knew him too. It was amazing. He was amazing.

When we reached the end of the song he gave me one last spin then, with a paused dip for a dramatic finish, the song ended. His face was inches from mine. Forgetting where I was my eyes froze on his lips. He licked his fuller lip slowly, watching mine as they started to quiver. I had never felt this way. Never been completely caught off guard like this before. Not by attraction anyway. I looked up and our eyes locked.

In that instant his deep gaze started to swirl with a vivid amber color, before they moved back to their full deepened brown. I had seen such a thing happen before, but not in an amber shade. Not in the way mine were now speckling.

He suddenly stiffened. I knew what he was seeing. What was I thinking? I let my guard down. I needed to get away. This had never happened to me before. I scrambled around trying to think of an excuse, but his grip tightened around my waist.

"_Oh-no!" _I mentally screamed!

"Rose, you look awful tired. Lets take a bathroom brake, shall we?" _Thank God for Mira! She came rushing to my aide and saved me from total idiocy._

I hoped no one else had noticed, as I moved to the bathroom with Mira I kept my eyes closed and let her guide the way. I could smell the change in the air as we entered the bathroom. The stale smell of urine and sweat. When I knew we were alone I opened my eyes. I was calm now, but I checked in the mirror anyway. Nope, gray again.

"What happened back there? You went all spotted!" She was obviously concerned.

"I don't know. There's something about him that I can't place. The way we moved, the way I felt in his arms. This is bad, Mir!" I started to pace. "Not like I planned it!"

"Oh." Suddenly she seemed to understand as she repeated slower. "OOHHH!"

"This isn't good." She shook her head. "He saw your eyes. We don't even know what he is or who sent him."

"I know. I need to go home. Now." I whined, then thought better of it. "No, I need to see Tate at the base. The only way he wouldn't have known would be if he had been hired by one of two people."

"You're going to the base?"

"I have to." I moved toward the door and pulled it open_._

"You haven't been there for two years!" Mira called after me.

I changed my clothes and geared myself up to go to the base. It was a two hour drive from where I lived… If I fallowed speed limits. Which I never did.

Once at the gate I was welcomed by security. Joe, was a portly, older, balding man, but a sweeter man you would never meet. He was the man who would bake fruitcake for the masses on Christmas. The good kind.

"Rose! You're back!" He smiled to see me.

"Just have something to deal with real quick. I'm not stickin' around." I ground my hands into the steering wheel of my SUV. Yes! I may be little, but I liked big cars.

"Tate business?" Ah, yes.

"Tate business." I gave a nod.

"Head on in, you've got lifetime clearance, Dear." He motioned me through.

Walking in was different somehow, even though nothing had changed since I was young, but now I hated coming here. It was harder for me.

Marcus used to meet me as I exited the elevator, to fill me in on the way to Tate's office, we always ended up in Tate's office. My fault, ofcourse. I missed his ranting and raving. I could still hear it now.

"You're in for it!"

"I can't believe you blew up the network!"

"What were you thinking getting involved?"

"He found out!"

"Run away, the way you came. Fast!"

"We need to figure out what to say, before you go in there."

"You can't keep doing this."

I missed my brother.

I sighed, the thought of this place and my brother hurt more than anything. That's why I left over 1 year ago and hadn't come back.

When I marched into Tate's office, he hurried to close the open files on his desk as he looked up. What didn't he want me to see? I used to be his missionaire.

"Rose, What happened? Is everything okay?" I had to give it to him, he seemed genuinly concerned.

"Oh nothing too much." I sat in the chair across from him, crossing my feet on the desktop. "Just came for some info. You know... The usual."

Of course he was silent waiting for me to start. Wouldn't want to give anything away would he? "Who the hell do you have fallowing me?" I could feel my eyes bugging out of my head. I didn't bother to

try to keep my calm. It was Tate after all.

"I have no one fallowing you. After you hospitalized the last 2 humans and killed my vampire, I don't send anymore. I've lost some good men, Rose."

"It was four vamps and you learned."

"You are just like Cat." He shook his head in awe. "The last three were Bones' men. Don't you talk to him?"

"No I don't." His comment sent me off even more. "And I am nothing like her, nor will I ever be!"

"Why don't you come back to work?" He asked in sheer delight. "I know you need to get out some frustration.

"I told you, I don't have my strength back yet."

"Your blood results show your strength has been back since that week Rose." He stared. "Two years ago."

"I lost everything, Tate." I shook my head. "I won't go back to that."

"We all lost!" He stood abruptly.

"You lost 2 people you work with. I lost Marcus and an Uncle Don within one year. All due to my power. I won't use it!" I stood toe to toe with him. Powers or not, I never cowered.

"Don died for what he believed in, not your power!"

"And Marcus?" I started to tear, but fought it back. "What about Marcus?"

"Marcus loved you. He took care of you. We all loved him." Tate was nearly whispering again.

I froze. "He's still out there."

"Somewhere... Until we hear something substantial we can't jump the gun though. We're still searching." Hence the file on his desk.

"Who's this guy, if you didn't send him?" I needed to bring the subject back to the matter at hand. Before I lost my mind running through that day again and again.

"Try Bones." He smiled widely at me.

"That's the same as talking to a damn wall." I turned to walk out, the anger washing over me.

"You're telling me." He griped, more to himself than me. "Rose, come by more often. We do actually miss you around here." He spoke as if it was an order, not a request.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Term

Getting a feel for things

I came tonight for several reasons. The first was that I was invited, aparently all the 3rd tiers were presentand. It also turns out that being the new guy had gained me popularity points. Everyone wanted to get to know me. The problem was that I didn't really want to know them, but I did like to hang out and toss a few back, so I wasn't going to object.

There was only one person I wanted to know more about. Rose. That was the second reason I was here. I knew she would be, Mira had told Jesse this afternoon when he had asked. There was something about Rose that wasn't quite normal, even for a vampire's pet. Something miscalculated. Strange.

I had watched her from a distance for months and she was even more beautiful up close, if anyone could believe that. The way her dark hair shone red in some lights was stunning. She had an almost iridescent, beautifully untouched skin, that extended over every thin curve of her miniature body. There was only one catch.

Those eyes. I had gotten lost in the grey seas of them several times this week. No woman should have eyes that beautiful. It's a danger on society. Especially when they become speckled with green. Which was the other reason I was here. I needed to find out exactly what I was dealing with.I needed to know why she seemed human in every way except for that one aspect. Maybe she had been drinking vampire blood for so long that she was taking on a little more than the strength and stealth? I wasn't sure. I had never heard of anything like her before.

As of this point I knew absolutely nothing. I tried to avoid face to face with her all week, it seemed as though she was doing the same. We would both get to class late and stumble around each other, until we had studio and were forced to interact with one another. It was hard when she was my dance partner and in most of my classes. I decidid that I did better watching her from a distance. There was just something about her, that when I got near, tried to pull me in.

As I wandered through the crowd I searched for her. All of the level 3's were in attendance tonight. They were all seated around a large booth in front of the dance floor. All except one. Where could she be?

I circled the dance floor a little, watching the dancers. A few guys had pulled in the crowd and were break dancing in the middle of the floor. Baggy jeans and heavy hip hop weren't my style. I was Rock 'n' Roll, but I could appreciate it. They were good.

Standing there on the fringe of the dance floor I spotted her. She was standing in the shadows arguing with someone. She looked amazing when she was angry. Like a tiger, ready to pounce and devour her prey.

Tonight she wore a tight leather halter top that tied in the back, showing her midriff. She had a tattoo of vined roses traveling from between her breasts, down her side to hug her hip and tuck into her low, hip riding leather pants. I had seen it in dance, but had no idea it was that long. I found myself imagining where it ended.

. I made my way over, shaking my head to get the thoughts of her tight little body out of it. I had more importaant ting to worry about, I had a job to do here. I had to find out who it was that she was arguing with and what was going on. I was being paid to assist her after all.

I let my senses expand and could feel waves of power as I moved to the shade that was blocking her from view of the dancers. I knew that she couldn't see me even though I could see her, but could she sense me there? Could her challenger? Reaching out I felt a familiar vibe. Bones. She was arguing with Bones.

"-My freedom! Mine! You gave me the options and I made my decisions based on what I could live with. Why can't you let me be?" She was livid.

"That doesn't mean your choices don't come with conditions. You need to realize the position I now have to take." His voice sounded threatening, but she didn't seem to be backing down.

"Bullshit! Get off whatever damn horse you rode in on! You have no position here, Bones. This is my life and your fucking with it."

"Rose you need to-"

"Why do you even care? Is this because now Cat knows? Huh? She know what your doing, doesn't she? What I do when you aren't around is none of your business. It hasn't been for years, so stop

sending people and pretending like you care!" She started to walk away as he grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Your barking mad if you think I'm going to let you beg off like this. It effects us all, Princess." If I could see better I knew that his eyes would be glowing green. He was pissed.

"NO! You think it does, but you weren't there! I was! I know what-"

"You know nothing!" Bones must have felt my energy, he paused before he continued. "We'll discuss this later tonight."

"I won't be there." She ground out.

"Bloody hell you won't. I need to say my peace too and you will listen."

"No I won't. And if you're at my house tonight I won't stop, I'll just keep going. I do have other places to go."

"I'll find you, _Princess_." He spat his final word.

"Then bloody try it!" She mocked him as she walked away.

Honestly, I was surprised that he just let it go. I always thought him to be a killer, a predator, but to have a woman degrade him? I knew he was angry from the look on his face, like he had a bitter tate in his mouth, but yet he did nothing. Something was going on here, between the two of them, and I didn't like it.

As she moved past, she glared at me and joined her classmates on the dance floor, automatically consuming the audience with her anger inspired movements, the three guys moved to the side. That was when Bones moved toward me.

I didn't bother to turn to him. I had several feelings toward him at the moment. None of them good.

"I know your hearing is just fine, Mate. Whatever you heard, it doesn't go any further then right here." He spoke low and to the point.

I nodded. Watching her move on the floor. She put so much force and anger behind her moves now. It was always incredible to see a dancer put their feelings into their moves. I could just feel her anger.

"By and by," He suddenly perked up, as he spoke matter of factly. "I'm glad you're here tonight. She exhausted my last three men within hours. Good thing I wasn't very close to any of them."

"Exhausted?" She was just a tiny thing after all and I imagined with the measures he remained to go through that they had to have been of the supernatural.

"Let's just say, if you were a Vampire she would have sent you back to me in a body bag by now, or at least with a couple peaces between your legs waiting to grow back. Since she can't figure out who, or what, you are she can't touch you. I'm glad it's working."

"I should consider myself lucky then." I replied sarcastically. I continued to ask myself what the hell was going on here. What the hell was she? Who was she and what was she to Bones?

"Very." His tone was clipped. "I have to get home. My Kitten's got her ball wound a little tight as of late and no one wants to catch her in the wrong spot. Watch Rose closely tonight. Make sure she gets home safe. With no complications."

I nodded again as I mentally griped. If I had said it once I had said it a thousand times, I hated the way her name spat out of his mouth and the way he called her Princess. She wasn't an object to be toyed with. I wasn't even sure what was going on and I did NOT like it. I knew nothing! I had never gne into anything blind before. I had always been calm and calculated and now... Now I didn't even know what, or who, I had to protect her from or even how I was going to do it. I was back up plan right? But against what?

He left then and I was standing there, watching her. She had a detestable smile on her face as she danced. Her hair swung over her shoulder to reveal her neckline. At that moment I pictured Bones drinking from her. Putting his fangs in that beautiful neck and blood dripping from her veins.

I scoffed.

Rose

After several drinks and a ton of dancing it was time to go. We all packed up and moved to the field. Bottles in hand, our whole group trudged across the field in the dim lights. There were fifteen of us in our group, we didn't all like each other, but we tolerated one another.

The football field, ofcourse, hadn't changed a bit. The bleachers were still on the oposite end of the field from the parking lot. A chain-link fence separated them from the field. This is where we had wound down for the past several years after our nights out. Sometimes we would even pass the dancing, just to come out here.

"Why is it always this far to get to benches?" Mira asked with a giggle.

"It's just a little stretch of the legs!" I felt liberated somehow, from my interaction with Bones. After the anger had subsided I felt very happy and somewhat carefree, so I hopped around her and skipped a little.

"You're not a pixie, you can walk normally." Jesse griped. Although he had been in the crowd all evening he had kept his distance. His girlfriend helped with that. She was actually very nice, she just didn't really blend into our group.

Jesse and I had shared only part of a dance at the club. We were trying to show that we could be civil. It went well until we started to argue about why I had left. That was when Term cut in to save the day, but refused to talk to me. Why? I may never know. I wondered how much he had heard of my conversation with Bones? Bones had hired him. How much did he actually know?

"She's happy, man. Let her have her fun." Term spoke out for the first real time all night. All week for that matter. Maybe he was drunk.

I giggled at the thought of him being drunk. Maybe I was a little drunk for that matter, I didn't normally giggle.

He did have a very calming voice. Very authorative. The type of voice that when he spoke everyone listened. I could see Jesse register that Term was not one to take lightly. Although he gave an unpleasant look, he didn't say another word.

When I turned to look at Term those deep brown eyes bore into mine as the corner of his mouth lifted in a snide smile.

"Isn't that what tonight's about?" He asked, "Having a good time? Putting everything else aside?"

"Are you drunk?" I blurted out.

"What?" His forehead creased, but the smile remained.

"Never mind." I was going to change the subject, but then I thought better of it. Since he was actually talking to me I should ask. "You're my partner and you haven't said more than three words at a time to me all week. Why is that?"

He shrugged, "I have other, important things to do."

My smile faded at that. His more important things were to watch and protect. Bones's orders. I lifted the bottle of rum to my lips and took a swig. I needed more!

When we had made it to the tables I sprawled out on one of the benches, my head in Mira's lap, as a couple of others formed around the table.

Some were playing drinking games, talking and dancing, while some were reminiscing.

"Do you remember how all this started?" Mira asked me, as she smoothed my hair. "I can't remember."

"Of course you can't, I'm surprised you know your name at this point." We both giggled.

"All what?" Jesse asked in all seriousness. "Us coming out here?"

"Yeah." She over at him.

"That's easy," Jesse, spoke up from the other table. "Jeremy got caught with that fake ID at the club, when we all got kicked out we came here!"

"And who sold me that ID, Man?" Jeremy spoke from our table.

I started to giggle again when the memory had hit me.

"Not my fault, Abden!" The name on the ID had been the funniest part. He had gotten in alright, it was just what had happened when he was in the club. "You just couldn't hold your liquor." Jesse laughed.

"He could hold it just fine, just couldn't swallow it without booting!" Someone piped in and everyone laughed as the picture of Jeremy puking on the bouncer came to mind.

"That poor bouncer!" Someone crooned.

"You puked on a bouncer?" Term leaned at the end of our table near my feet as he drank his beer. "Man, I've never seen anyone that bad before."

"It wasn't my highest moment." He shrugged. "We've all gotten caught with our fake IDs at one point or another and we always ended up back here."

"Mira and Rose have never gotten caught." Another person spoke up.

"Yeah, how did that happen?" Someone else asked.

"We're older, plus I have an uncle in the business of fake ID's. He's great with new identity." I smiled widely. Seeing 'Uncle' Tate in my head. If he only knew what we had _really_ used them for...

"I was twenty-one five years before my 21st birthday!" Mira chimed.

"Six for me." I giggled.

Term glanced down at me in what had to have been admiration for my recklessness and smiled widely.

"Why didn't you help out everyone else?" Kim asked.

"It didn't matter, Babe." Jesse told her. "We had more fun here anyway."

"Some of us had more fun than others."

"Chris-"

"Just puttin' it out there like it is, man." I froze. I had a feeling I knew where this was going. "Wouldn't you say that you might have had the most fun here, Rose?"

"Shut up." I didn't need this. Not tonight. I looked to Mira for help.

"You really liked Jesse's convertable, huh?" He kept taunting. Pain and anger jerked through my body as I glared at Chris. He was Jesse's best friend. I should have known that Jesse had told him, but he had no right to bring it up now. It wasn't fair to me, Jesse or Kim.

"Shut up, Chris." Mira turned on him. "Don't you think that's enough?"

" I remember correctly she was particular to the back seat."" He moved over to our table, I guessed to view my expression, what he and I didn't expect was Term meeting him halfway. Like a tall statue, with his arms crossed, blocking Chris's path.

Looking between the two of them, I noticed Term's eyes turning that Amber color as the waves of magic rolled around us. He wasn't vampire. Not even close, but he was something that had mood flashes just as vampires did. Something ferral and strong.

"Okay, Chris. That's enough." Jesse sighed and spoke up before I could respond.

"Just sayin-" Chris shrugged as he glared up at Term.

"No one here wants to hear it." Term bit out. Then he turned and gave me a sympathetic glance. I couldn't say a word. I scanned the group, everyone was now looking at me.

"She knows that she's fully open to ridicule. She's the one that disappeared. She didn't even talk to you about leaving, Jesse. Now she's back, god knows how she keeps getting back into school, and we have to act like she's one of us again! Hell no!" He turned from Jesse sympathetically then rudely confronted me. "Just because the school let you back in it doesn't mean that we should."

"Let it be." Jesse spoke quietly, "She's always been one of us. She's part of the team. She's a great dancer and we _need_ her."

"Bullshit! For some reason you love her and don't want to let her go. It's over, man." Chris started to stare down Term who stood like a brick wall, but apparently thought better of it and shyed away."Look! Doesn't anyone find him a little ironic? As soon as she returns he comes to the school too? He's her dance partner and he's willing to fight for her after only _one week_?" Chris looked around the group before glancing back at Term. He wouldn't meet his eyes.

Jesse's eyes widened at the assumption Chris had thrown out there. Term stood his ground, still unmoving. Anger flooding his eyes. To give him credit, he may have looked like he wanted to reach out and strangle Chris, but he didn't. He was just staring him down.

"I want to play some football. Did anyone bring a ball?" Mira tried to change the subject. With cheers some people ran to the field. A few people lingered before deciding to leave the fight. Term stood his ground until Chris sulked away. I stayed.

When Term finally turned, his eyes bore into mine. I sat there staring into those amber colored eyes. They were trying to tell me something. I just had no idea what.

"Are you coming?" Mira moved toward everyone else.

"Nope, I'm going for a walk." I glanced at the woods.

"I'll come with?" She glanced over my shoulder where Term still stood, watching me.

"We both know that I'll be perfectly fine. I need to be alone for a bit. We both know that I never get any freedom." I rolled my eyes at her concern and moved toward the woods. "I'll be back shortly."

"Okay." She agreed, but moved very slowly to get to the group.

Term then turned his back toward me. His body hadn't moved an inch since he had stationed himself in that spot. I could no longer see his eyes, but he had to have been trying to calm himself.

Fall was always my favorite season. The smell of the leaves, the sounds they made under my feet and the rich colors had always amazed me.

The open air was working it's way through my senses. I wanted to feel and see my favorite season fully and I was going to tonight. I had already decided.

I glanced around to make sure no one was there. The last thing I needed was someone coming to check on me. They wouldn't have been able to tell, but I would know and it felt dirty enough without having to be around other people.

When I finally allowed my natural instincts to take over. I could feel the ripples of power leading through my body to the core. Like millions of pins and needles poking me simotainiously.

I rarely allowed my body to go at full force, to open my mind and body was dangerous. I had always been told that it could be deadly if anyone found out what I could do. It had all been proven to me in the past 3 years. I had lost loved ones to protect my powers and the circumstance of my birth. I was done loosing.

The joy of it all was that I was able to hide everything when I wanted to. There was no way anyone would know the difference. The eyes, the tears and the power were always there, but rarely seen. Why not hide it? Most of the time I lived as a human. I _was _human. That is until my rage got the best of me and I slipped. I liked my humanity. I swore by it.

Now my body and mind were open to my other half though. Alone in the woods I could run miles in the matter of minutes, so I did. I could easily weave through the trees and brush. I loved how the wind felt in my hair, how the leave rapidly crunchd under my feet. How strong and powerful I felt. I needed this, it felt great. It was part of me. I needed the freedom, the peace, to feel the burn from running full force felt great..

'_What the hell?' _And there is the drawback. The lovely gift from my parents.

Term had fallowed me. How? How could he keep up with me? The fact that I could hear him told me a little something. He was supernatural. If he had been human I wouldn't have been able to hear him.

I slowed my pace to a humanly walk and closed down. I had only run about eight miles when I heard his thoughts from behind me. Damnit Term!

I stopped all movement and turned, trying to hear his footfalls. There would be no surprizes tonight. "What do you want? I

came out here to be alone and you being here defeats that purpose."

"You can't be alone out here, it's too dangerous." I couldn't see him, he was definately here though. His voice came from the woods to my right, but since I had shut my senses down I couldn't spot him. Was he hiding?

"How do you move so fast?" His voice sounded cut and short.

"Go back and tell Bones that he of all people can go to hell! He knows that I can take care of myself and I don't need you. I don't need anyone." I huffed, still breathing heavier from my run. Yelling into the dark night wasn't my favorite thing to do. I stationed my hands on my hips, "Can you get over here so I don't have to yell?"

Suddenly he moved out from behind the trees and brush. The look on his face was fully predatory as he moved in, only inches away from me. I stood my ground, he wasn't going to intimidate me.

"What is he hiding you from?" He was so quiet that his question was nearly inaudible.

"He knows me." I shrugged. "Plus he's trying to piss me off because I hate him."

Moving closer to me, he shook his head,watching me intently, removing a curl from my forehead. "You stand there, with no fear at all, like being confronted alone in the woods by my kind is normal. Like I'm normal."

"How did you reach me? What are you?" I whispered swallowing hard, not because I was scared. He was just really close, and moving closer. "I'm used to people showing off

and I'm not afraid of you. I grew up near an army base with a lot of vamps." Why was he so close?

"Are you his pet? His plaything?" His face grew sour as he looked me over from head to toe, "Or just his property?"

"I don't have any ties to any vampires, and that includes Bones." I was no one's property. I had been told the fundamentals of belonging to a vampire. That they had property in their humans that they fed from, sired or slept with. That they had ownership within their lines and anyone can join those lines. I was on my own. It kept me out of the politics of it all.

"Bones sent me…" He came closer, then paused momentarily to look down at my chest, as if he could see through my top. "To protect you and make sure that you didn't get hurt, or hurt yourself. Are you fucking him or just sharing blood?"

"What?" That caught me off guard. The idea that I would be involved with Bones appalled me. I truly hated that man. With a passion. "Go back and tell Bones I don't need you. I will pay for you to get home if I have to."

"You know what I mean." He scoffed, then leaned in near my ear and took a breath. He whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly, "I smell it in your blood every time we dance together, I smell it on you now too and those eyes. I can't forget those eyes. The vampire scent is strong on your skin, and it's his mixed with something else I can't place. Answer the question honestly. Do you belong to Bones?"

"You don't answer my questions why should I answer yours in any way , shape or form?" I turned heal and started to walk away.

"I owe my services and gratitude to an old friend." He pulled my arm to stop me as his voice went soft again. "I owe it to my family." .

"You can't watch me 24-7, Term. No one can." I pulled my arm away from his grip. "I'm on my own. I have been since I was seven. I know how to take care of myself."

Just as I started to walk away again I felt a mild tug and found myself against a tree, Term leaning over me, arms on either side, blocking my exit. "Really? Because you let your guard down very easily, Rose. You may talk tough, but you need to work on your reflexes."

I crossed my arms and glanced up at him. If I had really wanted to, I could break him, but he was just so ruggedly handsome, I couldn't bring myself to do it. His hair had been ruffled by the wind causing some of the short strands to stand on end. His deep brown eyes bore into mine heavily as he held me there. I suddenly had a loss of words.

"On your own? No one's property?" He licked his lower lip as he leaned in and smiled, "So, you like me?"

"So, you're back in high school now, with that comment?" I rolled my eyes. The chuckle that emersed from him made butterflies run rampid on my skin. No one had ever had that effect on me before.

He leaned in then and our lips met. Slow at first, as if testing the waters, then he added more pressure, I parted my lips for him to slide between.

His firm mouth moved over mine passionately and effortlessly, as his hands went to my hips and up my back to pull me closer to him. I could feel the length of his body against mine, but he wasn't close enough. As if hearing my silent cry he pushed himself into me with force. The heat and power between us was amazing.

His lips left mine, moving to my neck. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me." He whispered kissing the spot right under my earlobe gently. That kicked me up a notch. A notch too high, I

wanted him. I wanted him now! I could feel the emerald coming to my eyes. I could see the faint glow in the dark. NO! I didn't have my contacts in!

"I have to go." I spoke the hated words as I closed my eyes, hoping that he hadn't noticed the glow.

He froze on spot for a moment before he looked at me. "Did I do something wrong?" He loosened his grip, "I hurt you." I mentally laughed at myself. He could never hurt me like that.

"No, I just have to go." I opened my eyes just enough to see where I was going and turned to walk away.

Apparently that was too much, his grip found my arm and tightened. Too tight. I let out a cry. Where had this strength come from? I hadn't felt it a moment ago. Maybe in a fight he could best me.

"Rose!" He snapped. His now amber eyes were wide, turning back to brown. As the confusion hit him he dropped my arm. "Full green... You can't be a-a-"

"I have to go!" I took my opportunity and broke free. "Now!"

I let my senses take over again and ran. I could hear his thoughts behind me. They were jumbled as he tried to piece together what was going on._ 'How could she..?' 'I didn't feel it till...' 'She was…' 'No...'_

_I couldn't listen, anymore. I sped up._

_When I made it back I could see the others still playing football out in the field. Too drunk to keep the ball in hand though. Actually too drunk to do anything._

_I closed down immediately. _

_As I fully made it to the football crowd Term was behind me. Anger in his expression as he glared down at me from a few feet away. I didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking._

_All eyes were suddenly on us. I knew what it looked like, we had disappeared for about thirty minutes. Only to reappear together._

_I held my head high anyway. They could assume all they wanted. They obviously didn't know what had really happened._

_Term moved away first. "I'm headed home." He scowled and stomped off toward the parking lot a little to quickly._

_"Mira!" Two could play at that game. I was out. Mira fallowed me to my car._

_"What happened?" She whispered as we got into my SUV._

_"ME!" I watched through my windshield as he got on his motorcycle and sped off. He was on a mission. To piss me off..._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rose

An overview of history

I was one of the only students in the school that had their own home, most other people shoved into the dorm rooms, but out of those of us who did have our own space, I had the plushest. I loved my house. It was a 5 bedroom Oceanfront that was enclosed by a small wooded area for privacy. Although the ocean was my backyard I still owned a pool, which I used on the days I didn't want to fight the sand out of my swimsuit, but my favorite part was the open floor plan in the main portion of the house. I could cook and entertain, which I hadn't done much of late, but I could also keep an eye on my immidiate surroundings.

Working with the government certainly had it's perks. Or so I thought until recently, when I found out that Bones had paid for everything my entire life. Our "Mysterious benefactor." Now he was more frequently reffered to with colorful phrases. Like, "Asshole," and "Shitface."

As I walked through the front door the atmosphere changed. A vampire was in my house. Not just any vamp though. It was Cat. Her car wasn't here. I assumed this was a discreet visit.

"Where are you?" I asked quietly as my voice echoed through the house. Knowing that she could hear wherever she was, I didn't need to raise my voice. Vampires heard all too well.

"I'm in here. Bones was driving me nuts so I came to hide for a few hours." She moved into view so quickly that it startled me. It looked like she'd been in my office.

"Were you snooping? My office is off limits to _everyone." _I asked curiously.

"No, I was in the study. That is where the books are, Dear." She spoke slowly, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Bones warned me to keep out of your precious study."

I relaxed a little.

Her nostrils suddenly flared. She was tasting the air around us. "Have you been drinking? What else is that I smell?" She smiled widely.

"You and I both know that I went out tonight. You're not a good actress, you know that? And we all know what that smell is by the way, it's Term and I still can't figure out what he is." He had a heady masculine smell that was very overpowering. It wasn't at all like a cologne, just a natural, somewhat woodsy smell.

"Well, I haven't been acting for very long and your the only one who can really tell I suck at it." Her smile turned nervously into a grim line. "I did tell him not to. He went overboard this time."

"This time?" My voice shreaked as I grimaced thinking about the guards outside, "You know, I don't even have privacy in my own home anymore? Now some guy following me around all my classes and that doesn't even begin to count all of the cameras around!"

"The cameras belong to the team, the guards, Mencheres. This is still a new situation for all of us. Until we know more about it we need to slat down and stick together. Everyone has the same goal. To keep you safe."

"Well are they trying to protect me or drive me nuts? I'm practically climbing the walls here." I was getting angrier thinking about it. I started to pace side to side. "I'm not as meek as I seem, you know that. I can protect myself and I don't need any help. From anyone!"

That must have hit home to her. It was uncalled for on my end. Pink tears formed in her eyes. I meant to much to her to treat her that way. She deserved better.

"I should go. Bone's doesn't know I came and he'll shit himself when he finds out. If someone caught me here-" She started to walk past me to the door.

I couldn't just let her go. I stopped her, grabbing her arm and she turned to face me.

"I'm sorry." She could have broken away, my grip, in this state was weak. She chose not to.

"I deserve worse from you for what happened. What we did. You have to understand though. That the whole time you were at the base _this_ is what we did. We protected you. We had guards all around. Every month making more vampires. More protection and the highest security was in all of your homes. We were there. _He_ was there. We protected you just the same. The only difference is that now you know. You know it's us and you hate it. You hate us."

"I don't hate you. You're nice about it. You hate doing it. All of this is just a lot of getting used to." I felt guilty. She didn't mean to make me feel bad, but her words made perfect sense to me. She didn't deserve my snapping. I highly doubted that she even knew the full extent of the situation.

"Sorry. I should go though." She moved closer to the door, turned to me and smiled wryly. "Bones."

"Well, I was looking to piss him off royally." I returned her coy smile.

"I don't want to bother you."

"Bones." That was all I needed to say. She moved through the living room and out onto the patio. I fallowed.

Once seated near the pool she looked me over, "Need to change? I have time." She smiled.

"I'll be right back."

Trem

I pulled past the front gates as the vampires out front glared at me. They knew who I was. Sundays were our schedualed reports. I would come to this vast brick structure that resembled a 19th century home and relay everything that I had seen. Everything that had happened.

Now I came 2 days early. I needed to talk to Bones. I needed to find out what this thing was with Rose. Her eyes had shown full emerald tonight and the power that I felt around her was purely vampire, but I knew she wasn't she had a heartbeat and she was warm to the touch.

Nothing about her said vampire until I had followed her in the woods. The air around her prickled with an energy. A strong hum of electricity.

I had been driving for hours and finally decided to go to the house. Every week it felt strange riding my bike into this fortress of vampires, now I id it willingly. I moved past the guards quietly and drove strait to the front, where Bones met me on the front steps, door ajar. He had heard me coming.

"What's happened?" He moved swiftly to my side as I got off my bike.

"We need to talk."

"Rose is she okay?" He actually sounded concerned.

"Just fine. Probably out hunting dinner or something. You know, the usual for your kind." I said it with more anger than intended, I knew I needed to step carefully with vampires, but I didn't care right now. I had too much at stake here. I had let down my guard with her tonight and was suddenly willing to let more go. Just for her. It was time to find things out.

His eyes widened with understanding. "Come in and have a chat, Mate." He glanced around the yard, "It will be a little more... Private inside."

As we walked in I took in all of the ramdom vampires. On the large staircase, in the dining hall on the right. They were everywhere. On the left must have been a sitting room. They were all crowding in there for some reason.

"Mencheres, your presence is required." Bones spoke as he continued to walk under the large staircase, where a study was tucked away.

Once inside he walked right over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the whisky. When he offered me some I turned it down, I had had enough to drink tonight. My whole theory could be simply because I drank too much and I didn't want to risk anymore irrational behavior.

"Mencheres is my grandsire and the co-ruler of my line. He's been here for a week trying to confirm something for me. I trust him. You should too he-"

"Saved my life, when I was young." I could feel my body go rigid at the thought. I was too young to remember, but I remembered the stories. I was about 5 and wanted to go for a swim. I was drowning when Mencheres had come across me. He pulled me out of the water and healed me. When my parents asked him why he had saved me - a boy he didn't know, all he said was, 'He will play a large role, someday.' and walked off.

"Ah, Mencheres." Bones smiled to the man that entered the room behind me.

I turned to view the long haired Egyptian that moved into the room I could feel the power vibrating around him. I had always thought that Bones had been strong, but this man was far more powerful.

"Termulous." Mencheres smiled with a nod as he acknowledged me.

"Just Term is fine." I replied, giving him a nod in return.

"He knows about Rosamond." Mencheres smiled wider at me. "Or suspects something, but I assume that's enough. He needs to know."

"Are you in my head?" My father had told me stories as a child, that these two could do that. They could get into your head and listen to your thoughts.

"You aren't human," His smile faded a little, "I can't read your mind, but I have seen this coming."

"What do you know?" Bone's asked, cutting off Mencheres' proud rant.

"Look, you tell me for a change. Why do her eyes glow? She has a heartbeat. Why can she touch speeds that no human could? And the way she moves? She's so beautiful. Why-" The beautiful part had just come out. I knew as soon as it did that I would need to take caution with my next words. Vampires are even more possessive than my kind, if one could believe it. I decided to continue with my random questions, "Why does her skin vibrate with power?"

"Beautiful?" Bones' eyes widened as he snapped his words out, cutting me off.

"Let's remain on the first few questions for the moment." Mencheres spoke up, remaining calm. "He should know the reasons that he was hired. How he has gone this far without knowing is a revelation."

"He was hired to protect her. Nothing more." Bones snapped at Mencheres. At least it wasn't geared toward me anymore.

"From what? I don't even know what I'm protecting her from! If she's a vampire, why does she need my protection?"

"She's not-" Mencheres began, only to be cut off by Bones.

"We are not discussing this." Bones smacked his glass down on the end table and crossed his arms.

"He needs to know. He can be trusted, Crispin." Mencheres gave a slow nod in Bones' direction.

Crispin I assumed, was his real name. Vampires tended to change their names when they became what they would be for eternity. No one grew up with the name Bones. Was Rose even her real name?

"Do you know something I don't, Grandsire?" His glare moved from Mencheres to me as he sized me up.

"You have been watching her for three months now. What have you seen?" Mencheres asked calmly.

"Nothing really, until today. She went to some high security base on Monday afternoon, it was the first time she'd done that.

"She went to the base?" Bones asked. "How long was she there?"

"Only about an hour." I shrugged. It wasn't pertinent to my questions.

"Did anyone see her? Fallow her?" Mencheres chimed in.

"Only the people there. I couldn't get in, but there were vamps there. Plenty of them." They looked to each other for a brief moment then back to me.

"What happened today?" Bones asked curiously.

"I saw her eyes and felt her power when I fallowed her on a run." I paused, thinking over the night. Our kiss. "She's fast."

"You saw her eyes?" Now he was clearly annoyed.

"I confronted her during her run. I felt the power first hand as well." I nodded.

"You confronted her and your still here?" Bones smiled, "How did you manage that?"

"She's a vampire isn't she?" I didn't answer his questions. He was protective over his toy and I needed my answers.

She inot fully a vampire." Mencheres spoke.

I iced over, sniping out. "So, Bones has a new toy now. Another half-breed. Not just Cat anymore."

"Watch where your stepping, git, no one talks about my daughter like that!" Bones' eyes glazed with green momentarily, before he realized what he had said.

Rose was his daughter? How? He's two-hundred and change. That was impossible. I had heard of younger male vampires fathering children, but never an older one and especially not a female vampire. There was no way Cat could be her mother. She had to be nearly 300 years old by now.

Mencheres stepped forward. Arms extended, as if offering peace. "Rosamond is no one's toy. She has a very large roll to play, similar to yours. Although, hers is a little more complex."

"Why do you talk like that, Man? Just tell me what's going on!" I sick of the ranting. It was time to find out what my purpose was.

"She is more than a half-breed. There is no name for what she is. She is our daughter. Cat and I." Bones spoke clearly. Straitening his stance, he seemed almost proud. Almost.

"Impossible." I shook my head in disbelief. "You're old."

"Not impossible. Improbable yes, but she is ours." Bones just glared. "Think about it. The silver eyes, like Cat. Her complexion is light like one of us. Her hair is the perfect mix of both Cat and I and her small frame is very petite like someone from ages ago, is it not?"

"How?" I actually could understand when it came her looks. It all made sense. She had gotten those qualities from her parents. But how could she be their child?

"Cat's DNA had been altered when a she was fully changed. She was a vampire to begin with, not fully, but enough of the blood ran through her. Something in the full change had altered her body's DNA just so." He moved to his couch and took a seat before he continued to explain. "We always thought that a vampire's reproduction died with the rest of him or her, but have since realized that is not the case. We assume humans can't breed with us, because our swimmers are too strong and vampires can't because the female body is frozen as is. Now, a half-breed changed is some sort of vampire hybrid. Cat feeds differently. She has different abilities and she can mother children."

"So where does my protection fit into this? What am I even protecting her from?" I bit out. I was disgusted. The thought of her being half-vampire bothered me. Somehow I found my mind was replaying the sound of her heartbeat.

"Someone found her out on her last mission with the base. They have my son and no one can locate his whereabouts. They know what she is and are threatening her safety, as well as Cat's and Marcus's. Rose has special abilities as a vampire. Abilities that can be used to certain people's benefits. She won't use her power for some reason and she won't let anyone guard her. Except for you. It's been a week that you've been known to her and she's still allowing it. Why is that?" Bones calked his head to the side.

I shrugged. "Maybe she's plotting." Maybe for some reason, she felt the same pull that I had felt towards her all week. I wasn't sure, but it was definitely a thought. A thought that I wasn't willing to share with my present crowd.

"Chances are, Mate, that she already plotted that first day. Normally she kills strait away and asks questions later. She gets her impatience from her mum."

"She doesn't know what I am…" The questioning from her eyes all week burned in my mind now.

"Knowing what is known now, do you feel better?" Mencheres asked.

"No." This woman I had been watching for three months, the one that I felt this amazing pull towards, was a vampire. Not fully, but she was still vampire. The part that I knew, that very small part was living. "Does she feed? I mean- Drink blood?"

"Not as much as we do, she receives most of her nourishment from normal food. It's hard, I know, but you need to understand, her heart still beats. She is still human and still fragile. Her heart can still beat, just as it can break. Once you can handle that, everything can fall into place." I had no idea what Mencheres meant, but I was finished here. I knew what I needed and was ready to go.

"Mencheres, is there something you need to tell me?" Bones glared.

"Only that we can expect a lot for our line in the years to come." Mencheres spoke solemnly as Bones glared at him.

"I don't know what he's talking about, but I have my answers and I need to go. I'm taking the weekend to see my family. I'll be in class on Monday." I threw my hands up in retreat and started for the door.

"We'll make a call. He needs time." Mencheres spoke before Bones could bite out a response.

"These conversations don't leave this room, Term." Bones spoke from behind me. It was a threat. I could hear it fully in his voice.

"I understand." I understood too well, he didn't want me to return home and tell my family about his prized possession. His vampire child.

I didn't need to speak the words, they would soon know. WIth us, the truth always outs itself.

As I climbed on my bike I felt a warm relief. Soon, I would be back home, with my family and in my own home and bed. Leaving all of this behind me. My only qualm was that I was leaving Rose without my protection, which bothered me a lot more than it should have.

Rose

It was hard to explain the circumstances of my birth. It was thought that vampires couldn't have children. That three days after their creation their functions ceased. Apparently Bones and Cat had found out differently after she had been turned into a vampire. Her body worked a little differently than a normal vampire's and, when mixed with the sperm Bones had… offered, there my brother and I were four months later.

Marcus and I had grown up mostly on the base where we were born. We worked there, played there and caused a considerable ammount of trouble there. Our uncles- of sorts, had raised us, so our punishments were very light and freeform. We always seemed to get away with the things we did.

It wasn't until recently that I even knew our parents were still alive. Not until Marcus had disappeared on our last mission. My last mission. It was then that all the vampires in our line came forth and actually told me the truth. Although I didn't truly believe them until my father burst through the doors of the small makeshift hospital wing at the base and demanded to know what had happened.

Once I clothed myself in sweatpants and a t-shirt I went back out to the pool. Cat was sitting there staring at the water. Her tall, thin body laid back in the chair her red hair fell over the headrest. Her grey eyes, the ones she had gifted me with, glanced up at me as she smiled.

"You and your brother were always so beautiful. It still surprises me even now."

"Was it hard?" It was a very vague question, but she knew what I meant. We had never had this conversation. It was time. Things seemed more conflicted to me recently. I wasn't sure where I stood in this world anymore. Things were moving in different dirrections for me now, but having children wouldn't be one thing I was capable of. I was part vampire. I might need to go through the full change for that, and I wouldn't. I couldn't. No one wanted to live forever.

I sat in the chair next to her, looking out onto the ocean in the distance. It's vastness always seemed to suck me into it. It made me like I was less. It made me feel grounded.

"No one knew what to expect when I became pregnant, with Marc. We didn't even know if he would be human or some sort of demon." She looked away again. Sitting up, as if looking down the beach in alarm. "Four months of constant worry. The stress, it nearly killed Bones all over again. He screamed everyday for months. He wanted me to end it. 'it isn't natural.' He'd say. 'It won't be a normal child.'" Her impression of him gave me goose bumps. She sounded so much like him, corny English accent and all.

"Then why did you do it?" I had to ask. "Why go through with it?"

"Somehow I knew. I didn't truly know, but something told me that it would all be worth it. To have that part of your lover and give them something no one else could... It made sense to me."

I understood. Something eep inside of me understood where she was coming from and I mourned thre fact that I would never have that.

She gave me knowing look. "It will to you one day. You will meet someone who sweeps you off your feet. Someone who you don't want to be without for even a minute." She laughed quietly, almost to herself. "No matter how much they piss you off."

"When did Bones change his mind? About us?"

"When Marc was born and they checked his vitals he was almost human. We were so contented. Your father cried." She moved to my chair and snuggled in, putting her arm around me. "I remember it perfectly. Bones was holding Marcus and the only thing that came out of his mouth before he cried was, 'My eyes. He has my eyes.' My heart- It was indescribable." She choked on her last words.

"Mark did have his eyes." I pictured my brother in my head. His long curly dark hair, deep brown eyes and tall, thin frame.

"You both had that same hair though. Thick, curly and dark brown with a little red. The perfect mix." She sadly smiled. "I'm still jealous of that hair."

"When did you decide about having me? If you did." I reveled in the questioning. I hadn't truly gotten a moment alone with her on the topic of our births. Now was the time to get my answers and leave it to them it could have just happened, like it had with Marc.

"We waited a couple years, monitoring Marc closely and one morning we were lying in bed with him between the two of us. Bones looked right at me and said 'We have a little prince, maybe we should try for a princess.'"

"That's why he calls me that." I always thought he had been calling me spoiled.

"You were always a princess to him. He held you and Marc as though you were on top of the world." She smiled widely cupping her palm in the air.

The thought of Marc and how he couldn't be here to see them hurt. It hurt like hell. He was my big brother. Part of me and he couldn't be here to see them again. He had always told me that he believed they were still out there somewhere. Watching us.

"Anyway." She shook her head to clear it. How was it to be back at school? You have whole week of business to tell me."

"Well…." I smiled ironically. I loved how she tried to change the subject, so I let her think that I had bought it. I missed my brother, but I wasn't going to let it all out there. Neither was she. "Let me tell you about my week."

I briefed her on everything, from early Monday morning to the occurrences of tonight. Apparently she was somewhat familiar with Term.

"When I'm around him I feel this vibe. A magic. Although I don't think he's magic, I can _hear_ him." We both were laying back, staring at the stars. Her arm still around me. It was comforting to have her so close. I had longed for her support and love growing up. This almost made up for it.

"Magic?"

"Like a click. It's really strange. I've never felt anything like it. His eyes turn an amber color sometimes. I've never seen that before, it's actually amazing." I bit my lip thinking about the brightness of the color. There was something predatory about it. Something sexy.

"When have you seen them change?" She actually seemed interested.

I thought for a moment, before answering. How much did I want to tell her? She was married to Bones - public enemy number one. Well, my enemy anyway. He may be my father, but he was too overbearing for my comfort.

"A couple of times when we danced," I decided to go for it and leave out the unnecessary details. "Once when he stood up for me tonight. Then when we were in the woods. There's just a feel that I get when he looks at me. Like a vibe."

"How often is this vibe?"

"Whenever he's around." I shrugged. Every time he looks at me. With the heat of his touch. When he just speaks to me.

"I don't think he's using magic on you. He doesn't have that ability." Her eyes narrowed.

"Do you know what he is?"

She glared at me. "What were you doing in the woods with him? Were you alone?"

"Yes, and nothing. Why does everyone skip around that specific question?" I couldn't help but smile a bit. The thought of the kiss was staggering, it kept coming back to me. Then my hopes would instantly shatter again when I remembered that he had seen my eyes. He hated me.

She gave me severe once over before she spoke. "You could always use your power to get it out of us, but it is something that Term needs to tell you, if he chooses. I can't, I've made promises-" Cat's phone rang at that moment saving her.

"It's Bones, I should head out." She glared at her phone. "I've been here for hours. Think I pissed him off enough?"

"Not nearly enough." I smiled, "But go anyway. Don't want him sending a bodyguard with you everywhere."

"He's done it before. Still would, but now he's got you." She laughed and answered her phone as I walked her to the door.

"I'm on my way home." She answered and smiled at me.

"I'm on my way." With my extra senses I could hear Bones on the other end of the line.

"Are you with Rose?" His voice asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I'm coming with guards." Great... More...

"Are you serious?" I squealed. He was the last person I wanted here. "Where's my bodyguard that he hired?"

"Term is… Taking the weekend off." The weekend off? Great... He really hated me.

"Think I can't do this on my own?" Cat asked. I could feel the anger around her as she tried to shield it from her voice.

"Kitten, I know you can, but I need to find out a few things from Rose."

"Bullshit!" I yelled as Cat hung up the phone and threw her arms around me.

"Pissed?" She asked coyly.

"Severely!"

Her look became suspicious. "Are you sure you weren't doing anything speciffic in the woods tonight?"

I laughed. She knew nothing. She was reaching. "I'm going to bed now." I started up the staircase that led to several bedrooms, "You guys can have any room, but stay out of the one at the very end. That's Marc's room."

"He's not going to be happy if your asleep when he gets here."

"And remind me why I should care?" "Point well taken." She called after me. "By the way, I like his cologne."

"Who's?"

"Term's. It's all over you."

"He doesn't wear cologne." I paused, mid step and looked at her. She got me. He was the only guy that I'd gotten that close to tonight and by responding to her comment she caught me. The look on her face prooved it all too well. She grinned ear to ear, arms crossed with an 'I told you so.' written across her face.

I shook my head. "Bitch."

"I swear by it. Goodnight, Dear." She smiled widely ash she shooed me.

_Memories turn to dreams when you suppress them. I had been suppressing my last memories of my parents for sixteen years. Only to have them resurface that night._

_A vampire had come after me when I was six. He had found out what I was and my abilites. I never remembered the specifics, but he had kidnapped me. Apparently forced me to read the vampires' and ghouls' around me and mezmerize a few, to do someone's bidding. I was nearly killed in the process. That was when my parents had done what any vampires would do, they killed him. I had healed. He never would, but it broke into a war between houses- so to speak._

_One morning I dressed in my favorite white dress and went to wake up my mother, as I always did. But the door to my parent's room was locked. I started to bang on the door and got no answer, I just kept hearing my mother inside crying. Harder and harder._

_"I'm sorry, Mommy." I said through the door. "I didn't mean to make you sad. What did I do to make you cry?" My mother had always been a happy person. She had never gotten angry with me and never cried over anything that I had done. Ever._

_I never got an answer and just heard more sobbing, until my father came and pulled me away, "Princess, we should leave your mum alone today. Her and I have a big thing we have to do and Mommy isn't happy about leaving."_

_"Leaving? But we leave all the time, Daddy." We had lived in severl homes over the years, this was by far the longest we had stayed in one. He scooped me up and carried me away in his big arms. I had always felt taller there, in his arms. Safer. "Did somebody else find us?"_

_"No, Princess, no one has found us. This time we need to leave you and Marcus with Uncle Don for a few days." His English accent was thicker than normal as he cleared his throat. "You look beautiful in white. Just like a princess."_

_The car ride was very quiet. Mark had commented that people were acting strange around us. I didn't really think anything about it._

_When we arrived at the base and everyone kind of parted for us, it was then that I noticed. No one looked my father in the eyes. Not even Tate, as we made our way to the offices. He just hung his head, shaking it._

_Uncle Don was in his office and he seemed a little anxious, "Hey, Mudge, Marcky. So, I hear you two are going to be staying with this old man for a bit." He smile wryly then looked to my father. "Bones, do you need a moment?"_

_"Yeah, Mate. Thanks." He said and waited for Don to leave the room. As soon as we were alone he sat me on a chair and knelt in front of it pulling Marc to my side._

_"Daddy, why do we have to stay here? We always go with you." I pouted._

_"You can't come this time, Princess." His brown eyes started to tear in pink pools. "We'll be back as soon as we can. It's safer for you with Don. No one will look for you here."_

_"I thought we were safe with you." Mark said and I started to cry. We had never been separated for more than one day._

_"You were, Son. But we can't protect you right at the moment, they can." His voice got thicker again as he looked at me, "Did I ever tell you that you look like your gram?"_

_"Yes, Daddy." I nodded, playing with the hem of my dress. "I don't want you to go."_

_The pink pools in his eyes overfilled. "I love you, Rosamond Penelope Russell and I love you, Marcus Crispin Russell. I always will, as will your mother. Remember that." He swallowed hard, "Always. We do what's best for you."_

_"Then don't go, Dad." Marcus snapped. Everything was blurred with pink, I tried to wipe it away._

_"I have to, you'll understand one day. I need you to be brave, though. Live light and have fun." He tried to wipe my eyes clear, "Don't cry, Princess, it isn't worth it. Nothing is worth it."_

_"But you're crying." I was confused._

_"Because you are worth it to me." He pointed at my heart as he spoke, "As is your heartbeat. I love you, Rose." He paused, gave us both a wary smile and leaned in with a big bear hug and a kiss for each of us. "Mum and I will be back for you. I promise."_

_That was when he turned to walk out, but before he left the room he took a deep breath and glanced at us._

_Two weeks later Don told us that they had died in a fight… For their children to live._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Term

A mutual hatred brings people together

Monday morning I waited for Rose outside of our first class. She wasn't late, I was early. I was well rested and full of the advice my family had given me on the matter. A lot had been brought into clarity for me the past 2 days and I didn't know what I was going to say to her yet, but I hoped it would come to me when she got here.

I had done a lot of talking with my family over the weekend. Some of my brothers didn't want me to tell her. They didn't feel that she needed to know anything. I was the one protecting her after all. The majority of them did, but for the sole reason that they wanted to see me happy and believed that it was the first step to me wooing her. Which I couldn't agree less with. She was a vampire, there was no wooing a vampire. Especially if she ever found out that my kind had hunted her's in the past.

I leaned against the wall with my book and legal pad under my arm, feeling like a high school kid all over again. How did she do that to me? No one had ever made me forget myself and my place so much, but she did it every time.

I was glancing down the hallway in the direction she normally came from when Mira came running around the corner.

"She's not going to like this! You need to do something!" She moved toward me. "She'll kill him! Litterally!"

"Calm down! What's going on?"

She pointed up to the nearest television that was up in the hallway. On it a video played, like every other day, I had ignored it. They were normally the same crappy little pop songs that everyone here sang and made videos for, as they showed of some half naked girl dancing around. The worst was the school soap opera. So I had thought.

Now what played was a horrible pop song that was obviously Jesse. He sang about a girl, who was aparently tired of being a 'Daddy's girl' and wanted some action. The problem wasn't the song as much as it was about the video itself. There were a bunch of home recordings that were thrown together to make it. All home videos of him and Rose. Intimately. In a pool. In a car. On a bed. Every view had him holding the camera and her pushing it away. She was halfway dressed in all of them. I could tell that she hadn't wanted the camera there, but he apparently had left it on anyway.

"She wasn't with you?" I had thought that Rose had been with Mira that morning. They normally were inseparable.

Anger filled me. I was looking through the halls again and saw Jesse and his entourage walking up and waiting about ten feet away from where I stood, as if they were ready for a fight. Jesse wanted to fight me? My eyebrows darted up in assumption as I watched the smile form on his face. He was proud of himself. Obviously. He was bragging about having conquered the most attractive woman at the college.

"I haven't seen her yet!" When Jesse's eyes met mine, his smile soon faded. I started to move toward him. I could feel the anger rising in me as my eyes started to turn.

Just then, as if knowing we were talking about her, she came around the corner, fully enraged, but hiding it well. Her eyes were prickling around the edges with green. Her lips were tight and pressed to her face, as though trying not to show fang.

'_She's going to kill him!' _Was the only thought that came to mind.

"You can't here." She went to move past me to get to Jesse, but I was able to pull her to hault by grabbing her arm.

"Let go of my arm." I could feel the energy around her shift as she turned to me. She spoke pleasantly, but I could hear the malice in her voice as her gaze fully swirled for just an instant, then turned to that solid grey again.

_'She's controlling it? How?' _I thought incredulously.

"Easily." She ground out.

_'You can hear me?' _She could hear thought too. What next?

I don't know why, but at that moment I let her go. I felt as though I had to, as though it helped her. I could feel the power rolling off of her, but I didn't really think that she would be capable of killing him. If she did kill him I couldn't live with myself, but deep down I didn't think she _could_.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" She closed in on him, "Those were private, Jesse! Private!"

"What did you think I taped them for? A moment just like this." He smiled shaking his head. "It's perfect, you screwed me over, but I screwed you fist." I had never wanted to hurt a human so badly as I wanted to hurt him now.

"FUCKING-" She slapped him across the face and when he hit the ground she spat out the rest, "ASSHOLE!"

"Okay, come on." I grabbed her by the waist and carried her back toward Mira.

"Take her, I need to make a phone call." Mira spoke, showing Bones' number on her phone.

I nodded and glanced at Rose. Who was actually fighting me, but was unable to break free. So she was strong, but I was stronger.

Noticing her eyes were tightly closed, I knew why Mira had to call Bones. Some of them had seen her eyes. She knew what had to happen to now. She'd have to deal with her father, but she didn't seem to care. She just wanted at Jesse. I honestly couldn't blame her. Although I could not condone it.

I guided her out of the main building and into one of the non-occupied bathrooms of a smaller building. When alone she ran to the far corner near the sink, bunched up on the floor and started to cry. Not just cry, but sob.

"Hey, don't." I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want her to feel hurt, but there was no way to hide what had been seen.

I moved closer, sitting down next to her. I put my arm around her, hoping it comforted her as much as it did me. I had no idea what to say. SHe was so hurt. It must have helped a little, she leaned into me, crying on my shoulder.

She was softer now than the night we had been out in the woods, somehow more fragile, more breakable. I could still feel the power there as she shook in my arms, her body hummed with it. But there was another power there too, the one that pulls me to her. The one that made me feel for her.

"That was an amazing slap, by the way. He'll feel that for days. Maybe even be bruised." I tried to brighten the mood, which must have worked because the crying slowed a little.

After a few minutes the crying nearly stopped. She slowly looked up at me. The green in her gaze was gone, I could see that quicksilver there again.

"Why are you still here?" She asked quietly.

"You can read my mind apparently, so you know already. You were crying and upset and I didn't want to leave you by yourself." I feigned not caring, but the truth was that she was hurt and needed someone. I wanted to be that someone. She now knewall of that by now.

"Not here, Mr. Male Chivalry. _Here. _You know what I am, Bones told me about your 'chat'. He said that you weren't happy about it and took off." She shook her head, "The mind thing only works when I want it to. I can allow my human to take over at anytime I want. It's harder to remain in control of it when I get angry or hurt though."

"I took a break." I sighed. "You thought I had left, I just took a break. I needed to see my family and… Friends. It's been months. I take care of them all, in a way. Had to do a face to face check in. They needed to know I was still alive."

"Oh." She nodded, calculating. "Months, huh?"

"Let the cat slip?" I looked at her out of the corner of my eye.

"Big time." She smiled, "Bones is in trouble now."

"Well, yeah, months. Someone needs to watch you. I was hired for the job!" I pointed to myself. I couldn't help but fully glance down into her eyes, despite who she was. Knowing the fact that she was definitely off limits, I still wanted her. Badly. She smelled so good, like roses and chocolate on a warm summer's day, with a little nutmeg.

"And it was still a surprise to you what I was?" She didn't seem to notice my intrigue. "Eventhough you had been watching me?"

"You keep it hidden very well."

"In the very bottom of my closet. With my Barry Manalow CDs." She sighed nonchalantly. It was a beautiful sound. Very relaxing.

"It must be a very deep closet." I gave a nod.

"The deepest… So what _really_ made you come back?" Her eyes met mine for an instant, before she looked away.

"I made a promise." I replied, no need to give too much information.

"To Bones." It wasn't a question.

"To my family. They have this... Bent view of reality." I clarified. "Bones couldn't tell you the stories. He knows of my oaths."

"What stories?"

"Well, for centuries my family has hidden this kind of… Secret. Something that we choose not to share with many people. If you tell someone of your own secret, you give away the whole… Family's. Does that make sense?" I waited for a nod and continued. "Bones and Cat know, but I needed to tell you. It was my secret."

"I really don't get it."

"If you would have told me that you were mostly vampire by birth it would tell me that Cat can have children with Bones, which would give away her secret as well."

"Okay, what are you getting at?"

"Around ninety years ago my great-grandfather was… Hunting and he got a little too close to the… His prey. He got careless and was nearly torn to shreds. His brothers tried to help him, but none of them knew what to do. They were hunters, protectors… Not healers. Bones had been passing through the area and could smell the blood, it smelled different, more earthy than a human's. They all knew what he was and were reluctant to accept the help, for several reasons. When my grandfather's second in charge said, 'let him help' they finally opened ranks and Bones used his blood to save my him.

"Three years later he met my great-grandmother, had my grandfather, so on and so on. Bones kept in touch throughout the years. Then I was about 5 or 6 I almost drowned. Mencheres was arriving to meet Bones at our home. He pulled me from the water and "encouraged" me to make my first shift so I could heal. It saved my life."

"Make your first shift?"

"I shift. I'm a shifter. I can run as fast as a vampire. I'm as strong and just as powerful as one too. Apparently stronger, since I was able to hold you back from tearing Jesse apart. With my family I'm unbeatable. I'm head of the pack, which makes me the strongest of them all, it also gives me obligations that I need to fullfil, but that's one of the reasons that Bones called me."

She looked at me in disbelief at first, but after a minute it changed to curiosity, "What do you shift to?"

"Are you asking me to pull my Johnson out?" I rose an eyebrow in wonder.

"Oh, sorry." She blushed a little. The light flush in her cheeks, it was beautiful. She was truly stunning.

"It's okay. Maybe I'll show you one of these days." Her eyes grew wide, I couldn't help but laugh. Having told her releaved me. Now she knew, what she made of it was up to her. "My shift! Wow, you've got a dirty mind!"

"Why are you telling me all of this?" She was smiling lightly, but I could see the crease between her eyebrows.

"I don't know. There's just something about you. When I let you go out there you could have killed Jesse and all of his friends if you wanted to, but you didn't. You controlled yourself. I was nervous yeah, but at second thought, I just... Trusted you."

"You don't even know me." She shook her head looking away, but I grabbed her chin to look into those silver seas full on.

"Something about you says that I do know you." I paused to look deeply into her eyes. "You don't like who you are. Deep down you don't accept that you're a vampire. That you have this specialness about you. I didn't always accept who I was. I hated being the son of the Alpha, the next in line by birth. I wanted nothing to do with it. Just. Like. You."

"That's my father speaking." She rolled her eyes.

"No, it's me." I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Trust me."

The silence that fallowed seemed to be a big elephant in the room. I needed to let her go when I felt the urge to kiss her. I had to resist, she was my job. Not someone to get close to. 'Just let her know what she needs to know and stick to yourself, Term.'

"What time is it?" She broke the silence.

"Nine-thirty." I replied looking at my watch.

"I suppose I should face the world and check my damage." She slowly stood up.

"Do you want me to go with you? As someone to face it with." I asked, slyly covering for the fact that I just didn't want to let her go.

"See you later?" She giggled as she walked away, rolling her eyes.

"Sure, why not. Not like I'm being paid to see anyone else." I smiled as she walked out. Leaving me standing there, by myself. In the ladies bathroom.

Rose

That night I was getting ready for bed. The damages from the morning had been minimal. Bones came to clean up my mess with Tate and Mencheres in arms. It was all cleared by 10am. And I was free to roam. Sometimes having vampires in the family was helpful.

It was a warm night and once my pajamas were on I decided to go out and sit on my bedroom's balcony to read. It overlooked the ocean and the sounds calmed me.

I was only out there for 20 minutes when I heard it… A wolf howled in the darkness. There were no wolves along this stretch of the ocean.


	6. Chapter 6 MA MA MA MA MA

Chapter 6

Rose

Birthday wishes

I was rummaging through my closet, looking for something nice to wear for the night. I was having a birthday party at the request of the entire student body.

Getting the go ahead from Bones wasn't fun. And of course it was conditional. Hence the excessive amount of guards that stood duty. Which was far from my idea, but also meant that Term was here and alert.

He had been here for 3 hours already, making sure everything was secure. The past month he was strictly bodyguard boy, nothing else. Since that day in the bathroom he kept blowing hot and cold with me. I didn't know what was going on with him. In one instant he would make jokes and throw little sexual innuendos at me, just to get cold and push away the next.

I ended up just going with some low-rise jeans and a white midriff-bodice top. Wearing my hair down was a rarity, but it curled and waved in just the right places tonight. Paired with the right sandals it was a great outfit.

As I walked down the steps the music got louder and laughter flowed around me.

I took in all of the guards stationed around the house. There were more there now than had been there originally. Something was going on, something that no one had told me. I turned on most of my vampire strengths, but not all. If anything happened tonight I ewould need my strength, not my mind reading abilities. I took a deep breath and welcomed on the crowd of my peers as I thought of my birthday wishes;

Number one, no Jesse. I couldn't even bring myself to look at him without picturing how I could kill him.

Number two, no Bones. That was my part of our little compromise.

Number three, No fights tonight. That one was pretty explanatory.

Term

I stood motionless, watching Rose from across the patio. I had been watching her all night as she mingled and danced. She was amazing in her vampire had just enough up to make her pupils slightly smaller and give the air around her a mild hum.I was glad she couldn't hear my mind in this state, because she was making it hard for me to keep my distance. She must have known that something was going on. She never put her strength before her mind.

I was told by Bones and his friend at the base that they had a lead on someone trying to come after her. The same someone that may have her brother. They were making their moves in our area. We weren't sure what they wanted, but weren't going to find out after something happened. The other night I was able to get one on the beach that was getting closer to her. Things needed to be pulled in tightly. When she had an idea for this party last week Bones couldn't resist the opportunity to give her more protection. Including having me on the inside.

It made me jealous to see her dance with the other guys. She was so sexual, even when she wasn't trying to be. It was just her manner.

When she hit the floor with Jesse I almost lost it. The fact that she would even let him touch her after what he had done pissed me off. I didn't know why she had even invited him, as far as I knew she still wanted to slug him.

As I stood there sipping on my third beer, Sophie a tall, thin girl walked up to me.

"Term!" She was staggering pretty heavily. I didn't bother to give her more then a glance. I had more important things to watch.

"Term, do you have a girlfriend?" Ahh, the drunken college girl.

"I'm married to my job." I didn't think about that statement, but as soon as it came out Rose stopped dancing and looked right at me. Of course she had heard me. I quickly shot Rose the same wide eyed stare she was giving me. Although mine was more pointed as I glared at her dance partner.

"That's tiring." Sophie sighed.

"You're telling me." I chuckled. I loved I that look of surprise in Rose's eyes, it was one I had grown fond off over the past few weeks.

She was a little pissed, but she didn't want anyone else to know. When she covered her anger it was just lovely. Good to know I was getting to her even from my perch in the corner. These coy games had gone on for a month now.

She quickly looked away, when Sophie's gaze landed on her.

"You're always staring at her. Just ask her out. I'd do it before Jesse does though."

That got my attention. "Jesse? she hates him."

"Rumor has it, he wants her back, though. He'll get her back too. Or at least do her again. It's how it always happens. He cheated on her, like, five times and she still took him back every time." Sophie griped, then stumbled off again.

I arched a brow at Rose in question. I knew she had heard what Sophie said. Either she agreed with or denied it. I was going to find out. She had turned her back to me on purpose and was still dancing. I needed to know.

Before I could stop myself, I was already in the middle of the dancefloor, pulling her out of the thick of it. At first I felt her tug back, but then she let me drag her off.

"We need to talk." I dragged her to the beach. "In private." I was pissed. My voice was coming out in a near growl.

"About what?" She seemed frustrated. She knew damn well what I wanted to know and she was going to make me say it. It wouldn't make a difference whether I admitted it or not. Bones had made it clear from the beginning that I was to watch her. Keep her safe, that was all. I had already over stepped my bounds with her in so many ways.

Finally I swung her in front of me so we were eye to eye. Her eyes were beautiful, shining a vivid silver in the moonlight as she looked up at me. I could see more of the electricity in her eyes since her senses were up. She was magnificent.

"What do you want?" She was annoyed?

"Are you hooking up with him?" I felt my eyes tinge. I knew she could see it, but I couldn't hold it back. Not when it came to her for some reason.

"What?" Her voice was suddenly a high pitch that I had never heard before.

"Don't play stupid. Is that why you wore that?" I looked at the length of her miniature body in the little jeans and tight white belly shirt and felt completely the opposite that I had earlier. I was disgusted. "After he made that video and talked about you, it's sick."

"For your information, NO!" She moved closer, to get as much in my face as she possibly could, "But it wouldn't be any of your business if I did, would it Term? You're 'married to your job!'"

"No, it wouldn't." My voice came out in a soft undertone. I couldn't deny anything. Her personal life was none of my business. I was meant to protect.

"Yeah, you've made that perfectly clear." She scoffed, backing up a few inches.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing just do your job and leave. Me. Alone." She turned toward the beach, overlooking the ocean. Strands of her hair had fallen around her face. She looked devastatingly beautiful as she stood there.

"You make it so damn hard for me to do my job!" I gave up, nearly screaming as I raised my voice. "Don't act like you don't feel it!"

"I do! That pull that's there? I do!" She turned quickly on me walking to get back into my face. "But you sit there day in and day out giving me all these mixed signals. I never know if you truly like me or your just having fun with your little job here. Just leave me alone to fuck up my own life, okay? I was doing just fine before you came here." She walked back to the party before I could say another word.

I had to do something. I couldn't let her walk away from me. I needed her.

Her back was toward me as I came up behind her in the crowd of her peers. Turning her around, I grabbd the back of her head and lifted her to my lips. This kiss was even better than the one that we had shared in the woods that night. The heat was tremendous.

She had just opened her lips and accepted the full kiss when she pushed me back.

"What about your job?" She whispered, out of breath.

What about my job? I thought momentarily. I looked around at all the faces now looking at us, from classmates to guards. Too late now. I made my bed.

"It can wait." I smiled as a perfectly beautiful smirk came to her face as she kissed me this time.

Rose

Standing there in the middle of a huge group of people wasn't quite doing it for me. I wanted him, but not like this. We moved to the patio entrance and leaned there for a few minutes, getting a feel for each other.

His hands moved down my back as he pulled me to him, as if he couldn't get close enough. They finally decided to settle for a moment with one on the small of my back and the other cupping my jaw line.

"You have no idea how bad I want you." He broke away to murmur into my ear. I could feel his firmness pressing against my stomach and I felt an ache of my own.

"Then take me." I whispered quietly, looking up into his speckled eyes.

"What?" His eyes widened, showing a more beautiful amber than I had ever seen, as he looked at me. His eyes searching. "Don't play games with me, Doll."

"Look at my eyes. Am I playing games?" In the instant that it took him to look into my eyes he scooped me up, wrapping my legs around his body.

Of course he had seen the full shining green of my eyes. I felt warm with him. As if I had known him my entire life. As if we'd been here together before. I couldn't get enough of him.

"Upth-stairs." Was all I could say through the firm, furious kisses that fallowed.

He didn't pause on the way up the stairs. When we reached the top he just grunted and I pointed to my room, swinging the door open as we moved to it.

Once inside he kicked the door closed behind him, slamming me against the wall next to it. It was so hard that I nearly forgot to breathe, but I liked it.

"Pants?" I asked. Or at least I thought that was what I said.

"Yes." He started to unbutton. It was amazing how in the heat of the moment he could still hold me up and unbutton himself. Looking down I realized that he didn't wear underwear and he had a nice dark trail of hair from his stomach that led down to his groin.

In a tangle of arms and legs my clothes were all off in an instant. Revealing all but what my underwear covered. He was completely nude.

His hands were everywhere, exploring every curvature of my body, inside and out. As he propped me up against the wall with his hips.

His skin felt so soft and warm in my arms, under my hands. He was amazingly strong and sexual. I moaned at his touch. As he did mine. The moans he made when I touched him made me want him even more. My lower half clenched with the need. Not from his fingers that were there now, but his body. I needed him.

"I need you." It came out uncontrolled.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked looking me in the eyes.

"I need you." A shaky breath came out as he shifted me so I leaned my upper back against the wall, wrapping my legs around his torso as he held himself against me. Looking into my eyes, he gave me a wolfish grin. I could feel the tip of him rubbing onto me, before he slid in. Which made my need even more insistent .

I arched my back at the sudden fullness, "Damn."

'Shit!' He stopped, full concern in his thoughts. 'I hurt her.' "Are you okay, Doll?"

'Fuck! I let that slip.' I thought to myself. And closed my mind again. I never slipped. What had gotten into me?

"It's okay. I was just a little surprised." I kissed him again, pleading for him to continue.

It took a few minutes for his concern to diminish. Once he let go, the pain subsided and he felt amazing. I could feel his every curve sliding threw me as we both moaned with pleasure. The heat and the friction was nearly too much to bear.

Term

I had hurt her already and didn't want to hurt her anymore, but I wanted to let go. I could feel her climaxing and I wanted her to feel me more than she had already. The true me. I could never show any woman my real strength, but she was different. Very different. It couldn't hurt her.

I pressed harder and more forcebly into her. The pleasure was written on her face. In her stunning emerald eyes. She moaned uncontrollably, even with a few whimpers.

When she reached her climax, she moaned so loudly that she needed to catch her breath. I couldn't control the moan that came out of me at the sight of her pleasure. She was so striking. I had decided that I wanted to see the satisfying relief that had come to her again.

Just at that moment I released inside her. That came with a deep throaty moan of satisfaction so heavy that my head bent back in pleasure.

As I held her there, she rested her head on my chest to catch her breath. I kissed her neck. I had tasted the fruit and now I wanted the whole vine. I had been with women in the past, but never like this. I had never felt this strongly about anyone, she was amazing.

"You are… Wow!" She breathed into my shoulder.

"Are you okay? With this?" I shrugged her head off to make her look me in the eyes. "I'm sorry if-"

I was cut off by her kiss and we both started to laugh.

We lingered against the wall for a couple of seconds until I felt the tug of someone watching us. We had been on full alert for weeks now and my instincts were going into overdrive. I knew we were being watched and I needed to find out who was snooping. If it was anyone trying to hurt this beautiful creature in my arms I would tear out their throats.

"Bed?"

"Mmm." I loved one word question and answer. Especially when it meant her tongue was in my mouth. She tasted better than she smelled.

I turned, holding her in my arms so her back was to the balcony and I was looking out. I was still inside her as she sagged against me. He was out on the beach looking up around the balcony into her window, I knew that view. I had used it to my benefit for months, but had never gotten quite a show. With the lights on, Jesse had seen everything. It was a good way to mark my territory without even having to say a word.

I knew it was wrong to do such a thing, but my animal insticts took over. I lifted a brow in a deadly glare as I ran my tongue from her collarbone to the soft skin under her ear, then kissed her passionately on the lips and she let out the most magnificent moan I had ever heard.

Moving to the bed I sat on the edge, so he had full view, I laid her astride me.

"Again!" It was supposed to come out as a question, but it was more of an order.

"Mmm."

As I ground myself further into her she began to move with me once again. Her back began to arch and her head fell back as I open-mouthed kisses onto her skin, covering every inch of her body. I was marking my territory in the best possible way.

What can I say? Men are dogs. Some more litterally.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rose

And the bomb hits

The next morning I laid in bed feeling very satisfied. Four times over satisfied, to be exact. He was gorgeous, incredibly strong and he definitely knew how to use what he had been given. As large as that may be.

I was afraid to open my eyes. I could sense him there, but I was keeping to myself until I knew what he thought about what had happened. If he got up, dressed and walked out I would know that he had regretted it. Could I handle him being the bodyguard again? If he would even want that. He'd probably just quit. I would miss him and the playful banter that we had shared during the night.

After about thirty minutes of lying there completely motionless he rolled over, yawning and stretching. He put his arm around me. Rubbing himself against the fullness of my hip, his hand slid from my stomach to my inner thighs as he gently smoothed his hand up and down each of them.

"Hmm?" I acted as though I had been sleeping. For all he knew, I was sleeping.

"Rose." He murmured in my ear.

"Sleeping." I mumbled.

"I know damn well you aren't sleeping. You may breathe very lightly, but can hear when it picks up the slightest degree."

I giggled, I couldn't help it. The tone of his strong voice was almost a singsong as his hands smoothed over my body. I opened one eye to peer at him. His eyes were now that honey amber again.

"See. I knew it." He bent down and kissed my clavicle bone, one hand stalled at my inner thigh again.

"What are you up to?" I glared up at him, knowing fully what he was up to. All innocence was in his expression.

"What do you think I'm up to? I'm waking you up." His hand dipped between my legs as he sighed in contentment.

What seemed like moments later, although we both knew it was a lot longer, we laid there on the bed once again. The sheets were tangled around us in a jumbled mess as we held each other contentedly.

"I think I know what you are?" I looked up at him.

"What do you think I am?" He was staring at the ceiling with a wide grin.

"I can't tell you, because if I'm wrong, I'll feel really stupid and probably piss you off." My index finger ran circles on his chest.

"You won't piss me off. Nothing could piss me off right now. I have you, in all your nudity, clinging to my side. You have no idea how long I've wanted that."

"How long?"

"Uh-uh. Nope. You tell me first. Then I'll tell you."

"Oh, is this a 'you show me your's' type of thing?" I looked to see his amber eyes smiling into mine as I sat up.

"Absolutely. Although, I think that I've already seen yours up close and personal." He wagged his eyebrows at me, pulling me back to his chest. I mentally checked another thing that he does amazingly.

"Okay, well. When we're…" I motioned to our bodies.

"Having sex?"

"Yes, that. You get this look in your eyes. It kind of reminds me of a predatory animal, which got me thinking and some of your manierisms are similar to a wolf. So I just thought… You know." I ground my teeth waiting for his response.

"That's what you think?" His gaze stared off into space, as if seeing something more than the ceiling. I knew that I would piss him off with my guess and by the looks of it I had.

"See, I knew it." I tried to move out of the bed, but a stone hard arm wrapped around my back. Holding me there.

"I'm just caught off guard. Why would you think that?" He sat up facing me.

"I told you. The look that you get when your pissed, like you'll literally bite someone's head off. How you always look at Jesse like your in charge kind of stood out in my mind. Plus, I'm smart." I smiled widely.

"You are smart," He kissed me on the forehead. "Sexy," Ear. "Funny," Lips. "Kind," Neck. "And caring." Lips.

"Don't make me blush." I smiled wrapping myself into his chest.

"I'm serious. Would you like to hear my side of this whole thing between us now?" He laid back again wrapping his body loosely around mine.

"Yes."

"You know this pull that we feel? Like an energy pulling us in the same direction?"

"Yes, of course."

"I felt it from day one."

"In the classroom?"

"No, Rose. From day one. When Bones had called me, we met in a dance club. We ran into eachother there. The moment I locked eyes with you. Then I had to watch you for 3 months before classes even started. Before I could meet you. Then, the more tme I spent with you, the pull had become even stronger. It got to the point where I couldn't resist anymore."

"Like a magic."

"Like a very strong magic. I couldn't stay away and I'm Alpha." He smiled ruefully, "My father had once told me that, as Alpha, when you meet the woman that's your equal, you just know. That there is some magical force that draws you to her and she won't be afraid of your power."

"Were you disappointed it was me?" I wondered coolly, although my heart skipped a beat waiting for his answer.

"I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed this morning." I looked at him, feeling hurt. He must have seen it in my eyes and continued, "Because I thought that you would wake up earlier, so I could see even more of those tattoos."

I sat up on my elbow, "Which one would that be? Front, or back?"

He put a hand on the back of my neck and rolled me on top of him, his irises swirled with heat. "I love roses, I could stare at that one all day… Would love to see it again now."

"Of course you could stare at it all day. Just because it means we would be here all day." I could feel him stiffen against me once more.

"Would that be so wrong?" His smile was truly seductive and the moans he let out when we kissed made me want him again even now.

"Mmm… It is Saturday and I couldn't think of anything better to do." I shook my head slowly, so we didn't loose eye contact and leaned in for another kiss.

Suddenly a door slammed downstairs. Term went rigid.

"What happened?" I asked. Dammit, without my senses up in the least I had no idea what was going on downstairs.

"Shht, hold on, Doll."

That was when the yelling started downstairs, "I DON'T BLOODY WELL THINK SO! WHERE IS THE SOD NOW?"

Term jolted out of bed, pushing me to the side. "FUCK!" He scrambled around for his pants.

"My father? It's my house! He can't just walk in like that!" I scrambled to get up too, but got further tangled in the sheets.

The guards he had stationed outside must have filled him in. This was ridiculous! I was a grown woman. Twenty-Three, as of last night. He had no right to barge into my home.

"STILL?" His voice came closer. "AND YOU JUST ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN? YOUR ALL A BUNCH OF BLOODY TOOLS! "

"Sorry." I finally was able to stand, wrapping the blanket around my body.

"It's not your fault, Doll. I-"

Just then my bedroom door swung open. Term just barely had his pants on when my father stormed into the room with a fit of rage and paused to take in the scene. I could feel the power roll off of him in layers. He was beyond pissed, he was enraged.

Term moved to stand between me still covered in the sheet and my father.

"Can she dress, please?" He put his hands out as if in surrender. "Just let her put something on."

I had never seen anyone stand up to Bones like that. Well, that hadn't been a vampire and the ones that I had seen were far and few between. Most had gotten their heads ripped off shortly after. God, I hope Term still had his head after that move.

"Bloody Hell." Bones' eyes shot from Term to me and finally focused on the floor. I had never seen my father blush before, but I had a feeling this was the closest that I was going to get. The man had been a prostitute after all.

"She can dress. YOU," He pointed to Term as he glared, "I want YOU downstairs. NOW!" He stormed out.

Term turned, kissed me on the forehead and mouthed, 'I'll be right back.' Before he turned to fallow.

Why didn't he seem concerned? Bones could snap him in half in the wink of an eye. If he didn't want to someone else could. A special someone who I could feel in my home right now. This was going to be fun…

It took me one minute flat to throw on a pair of jeans, a tank top and run down the stairs. The whole downstairs was vibrating with power. My skin crawled, there were more vampires than just Bones inside of my house. All of them were extremely powerful and I knew them well.

The power vibrated from the study, where the loud angered scoffing came from.

"He was hired!" Bones snapped. "I hired him to watch her. I won't stand for it, Kitten!" There was a short pause as the sounds of pacing came through the room, before he repeated in a lethal tone, "Paid!"

I didn't dare to enter. I couldn't face all of the beings that I knew were behind that door. Where is a priest when you need one? Let's have everyone listen about my sexual endeavors. I knew the guards were getting a show and they had to be enjoying every moment of it.

"You don't know the story. You haven't even talked to Rose yet." I knew that she would be standing toe to toe with him, she was one of the only ones who dared.

"I saved your great-grandfather from his bloody deathbed far before you were born and this is how I'm repaid? Bloke would have been right pissed if he knew." His tone was menacing. I heard a loud smack. From the sound of it, he had backhanded someone. It could have only been Term.

"BONES!" Cat called out. I wondered if she knew I was there. They all had to know. They could hear me, smell me and possibly feel the mild twinge of power that I was expelling.

"The one thing I had ever asked you to keep away from?" He paced again. "You besmirched her!"

"I love her." Term whispered. I froze. He loved me? How? When? Was that what I felt? The pull? The feeling Cat had told me about…

"You're too young to know what love is."

"Can't you of all people understand? I won't live thousands of years like you guys. I may not even live through today. My life is short and she has this hold on me. She's remarkable."

"That's right, Mate! You won't live thousands of years. She will. You will age, she won't."

"I. Love. Her!"

"She is a rarity. Of course she is remarkable, she astounds us all." Mencheres, as I knew, was here and he spoke to Term now. He spoke gently, but I could feel an undercurrent to his words.

"I didn't know that when I fell in love with her. I thought she was merely human. She kept it too well hidden. I thought that Bones was hiding her from Cat, that she was his mistress or something. I tried to stay back, but I couldn't."

"Belt up! The only thing that's stopping me from beating your arse right now is that she's on the other side of that door. Eves dropping. Princess, you might as well come in, we all know you're there."

I walked in as invited. Swinging the study door open wide. Ready to fight, I let my power open to wash over me like a cold river. Not all of it, just what I needed to fight.

Term was sitting in a chair, Bones leaning over him. He didn't look fearful, just angry. Why wasn't he afraid of my father?

"It's not eves dropping if it's my house. Why are you here?" I directed my question at Bones as I walked over to where he stood, getting into his face. If Cat was right, I was his princess. The only other, aside from her, who could stand up to him without having to be afraid.

"Business." That was his answer? His answer to walking in on a man in my bed?

"Over money? My safety? What? Is there more? Are you going to barge in on my shower next? Hey, Term, you ready for another round?" I said it to piss off my father, but when I glanced at Term his eyes glowed that sexy honey color for an instant, while his features stayed angry and still.

"This is about your safety." Bones bit out between clenched teeth.

"So you barge into my room at 10am on a Saturday morning for safety purposes? I think that I was perfectly safe with a wolf there and I was also particularly contented."

"Were you?" Cat asked as a slow smile formed to her face.

"It. Doesn't. Matter!" He ground out. "I paid him! I'm not paying him to sleep with my daughter!" Bones yelled.

"She's not just your daughter! You ignorant ass! She's mine too and I say we hear her out." She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. Waiting.

"Mom, do you remember the talk we had during the first week of school?" I looked into her eyes as the understanding hit.

"The vibe?" She asked.

"It's a pull. It seems to drive us together somehow." I explained. "We have a connection."

She looked at Term sitting in the chair suddenly, as if he couldn't hear us talking about him. "They've mated, Bones."

"I don't Bloody believe it!" Bones started to pace again, taking it all in.

"Did the bites take place?" Mencheres asked.

We both returned a nod.

"He has her bite on his shoulder." Cat spoke softly.

"Do you both understand the sevarity of this action?"

"It just happend, neither one of us could control it." I spoke before Term could.

"I'm not paying him anymore! Grandsire, surely you understand."

"I do see your point, you are paying him for protection. I also see the intentions of the others around you. They have mated. For an Alpha wolf, that is the final law, it's as binding as vampire marriage. Don't you think the best defense is a lover?" I shook my head sadly at Mencheres' explanation.

"Keep paying him to sleep with my daughter? He's a high-end tart." His eyes were wide and full emerald.

"He's still protecting her, Bones. Mencheres was right. Who better to protect her than someone who loves her? You of all people should know." Cat spoke, raising her brows at Bones in open challenge.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to her. I couldn't live with myself if something did." Term looked me in the eyes and somehow I just knew that he meant what he had said.

True that they had never felt like my parents, they had always looked young like this and never really fell into the role. True, they knew about my childhood. They knew me and had watched over me, but something never quite felt normal about our situation. Cat was a friend and I just couldn't stand Bones trying to take charge of my actions.

"I don't like this." Bones started to pace. "A wolf and a vampire. It will cause more problems for us."

"Bones." With the speaking of his name, Cat gently put her hand on his arm. There was so much in that one gesture. It was almost too intimate to watch.

"We should go, we do have other business to attend before the day is out." Mencheres spoke once again, motioning to the door.

"This isn't over, Termulous. We were on our way to the base and need to finnish that buisness first." Bones spoke as he walked away.

"Trust me, I know." Term spoke quietly.

"The base?" I asked after them as the three filed out my door.

"Classified, Princess. Classified. Since you are no longer employed there we can't share inside information." Bones ended it there and walked out.

Mental note: Visit Tate!

Once the front door closed behind them I turned to Term, who now stood next to me and cocked a brow, "Termulous?"

"Termulous Astley Coulter and I'm madly in love with Rosamond Penelope Russell." He raised an eyebrow back at me as he kissed my hand.

"What now?"

"Well, as much as I would love to see that tattoo again, I'm terrified that your father will come back. Not the biggest turn on."

"You didn't seem scared."

"It comes with the job. Never let someone know when they intimidate you. Breakfast?"

"Oooh, he cooks too?" Term pulled me out of the den and into the kitchen.

"I'm good on all accounts." As he opened the fridge I sat on the counter near the stove.

"So you love me?" I smiled at him as he put some eggs on the counter and leaned over me for a kiss.

"I love you with a passion, Rose. One that I can't explain right now, but I have you, which makes the fervor even stronger." He spoke in all seriousness.

I was truly afraid now. Everyone that I had ever loved had left me, or hurt me in one way or another. There was no way of getting around it. I was going to get hurt. Badly. And he was going to cause the pain. I must have shown the dismay on my face, because he lifted my chin and smiled wryly at me.

"You can trust me, Rose. I would never do anything to hurt you. Never. I will be here for you till the end."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Rose

Something wry comes this way.

1 month later

It was late in the morning and Term had gone out for his run. In wolf form he could communicate with his brothers back home. It was a planned meeting once a week to check on everyone back home and make sure everything was moving along smoothly there.

It had been a month since my birthday and security was still increadibly tight. So I did what any civilized young woman who was tired of excuses would do. I told Term that I was going to run errands and I went to see my uncle.

"Tate! What the fuck is going on?" I stormed into his office as he sat at the desk. Nothing had changed. Vampires liked change as much I liked being around them. Not at all.

"Rose? How did you get in here?" He stood abruptly, as if refocusing. "Oh."

"Yeah," I was in main vamp mode. One step away and I could hear his thoughts. "So why is everyone, including Term on edge?"

"Sit down." He motioned to the seat across from him.

"No."

"SIT DOWN, Rogue!" He snapped. He had never snapped at me for no reason before. Especially calling me by my vampire name. I hated the name. No one really used it now that I wasn't working for his organization.

"Why to be insulted? No thanks! Tate, I have worked in these bases since I knew my alphabet and was able to file. Now no one can tell me what's going on?"

"Orders." He rolled his eyes taking his seat again.

"I've had it with orders and I know that you have too, because we both know where they come from." Bones. Term hated him just as much as I did, but for different reasons.

He didn't say a word, so I sat down in a leisurely pose, throwing my feet on his desk like I used to. I crossed them and wiped my chin before I said, "Look, if you don't tell me, I'm just going to have to start picking off guards one by one. Should I send them to you or Bones?"

He glared at me. He knew I wouldn't have to kill anyone to get my answers. No, but killing the vamps and ghouls that worked for them was much kinder on my end.

"It wasn't my idea. It was your parents', so we need to respect that. They are where we get our money. Your safety is key you know." He seemed remorseful, a little too remorseful.

"And who put the bug in their asses? What did you tell them? Obviously Term knows too. He wouldn't be going nuts like this if it was nothing. You know, this morning I awoke to him standing out on the balchany, pacing. It was three am." Withholding information from me wasn't helping his situation at all.

"Ear… It's ear." He corrected, pointing to his ear as he connected his hands behind his head.

"With you, it's ass Tate. Big. Hairy. Ball ass." I spoke slowly.

"Can't you just use your gift and find out?" He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

"You and I both know that the alternative is much more fun." I gave a sinister smile.

"Why don't you just come back to work?" Tate's face lit up like a light bulb. "Then we wouldn't have to keep things from you and you could use your power to help us."

"No way in hell." I shook my head rapidly.

"I can give you the information. We could use Rogue again."

"Go to hell, you dead Bastard!" What the fuck was he playing at?

"I'm serious." He gave an irritated smile.

So was I. "How would I explain that to my live in Security? 'Oh honey, I'm going to the office now. I'll let you know the undead body count when I get home.' Not going to work!"

"Paperwork." He hummed happily.

"Paperwork?" How was that going to help?

"That's all you really have to do." He moved around his desk. "We could use you in the field, but I'll let you go slow. No one can read like you."

"Bones." I closed my eyes in defeat. I missed being out there, but I couldn't do it without Marc.

"He can read people, but you can read monsters." His eyes narrowed. "How bad do you want to know?"

"You are exactly like Uncle Don. You know that right?"

"I learned from the best." He held his palms up.

On my way home I thought about what Tate had said. I told him that I had to think about it. The truth was that I hated to be left out. I had no idea what was going on, but could I do that to Term? Could I go behind his back, just to find out what was going on?

Bones still hated the thought of us being together and would voice his opinion every chance possible. Cat on the other hand couldn't have been happier. She saw the happiness that Term gave me and I gave him in return. We were happy and it was all she wanted.

I was halfway home when my phone beeped. Text, the best invention in the world. I assumed it was Term telling me that he was finished, but when I looked it was an unknown number.

Networth farm 2pm. Have what you want to know.

I couldn't text back, even to find out who it was. The number never came up. I had a choice to react and find out what was going on, or to go home and cower waiting for someone to tell me. I wasn't the cowering type.

Networth farm had been out of business for years. Now someone wanted to meet me there. They had information, but didn't say what it was pertaining to. It was one now and took about 45 minutes to get there, before I knew it I was had turned my car around and was on my way. I texted Term and Bones along my way, to let them know I was making a pit stop. I had to find out the story. I had to know what was going on.

When I arrived no one was in sight. I couldn't even see a car, but I could feel the power in the air. It wasn't an overpowering hum, but it was evident enough to know this was a vamp I was dealing with. The vamp was young in undead years, with no power. They were close, I could feel them.

"Rogue." I heard his menacing tone before he came into view. "How nice of you to actually come. Since Marcus isn't around, I assume that you have no backup. He was kind of 'it' for you wasn't he? After he backed out you fell off the map completely. Didn't know if I could find you until now."

"Flash." My heart stuttered past a beat. As I looked at the vampire. His blond hair was in disarray, his black clothes once neatly donned were now ripped and smeared with dirt and blood. What had he been up to? His once sea green eyes were now filled with embers of glowing green.

Flash had been changed by Bones when we were young. I had sent Marcus to find him on our last mission. Marcus never made it to the copter that night, Flash had. That was two years ago, since then, flash wasn't trusted with anything at the base.

"Where's my brother?" I forced out.

"Not here." Was his only reply.

"I can tell." I reached out. Nothing. He had never been here.

"He was always quick to use his power. Unlike you." He scrunched his eyes to glare at me as he moved forward. "You never use them anymore. Not even now, even though you could know exactly what's in my mind at this this moment. You could stop any advancement that I would make. You're broken." He crooned.

"I don't use them unless I need to." I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Hoping that I didn't need to. The right will out. I told myself.

"You were given a gift and your squandering it. Hiding it away. Only using it in the field. 'When necessary.' Marcus hated that about you. " He was closing in on me.

"Marcus was my brother, he understood. I don't even know why I came here. Obviously you don't know anything." I turned to get into my car when I heard a gun cock behind me. I froze. Since when do vampires need guns?

"Your brother caused a lot of hell for me after his disappearance. I was put on emotional leave from the base. Still, even now no one trusts me." He hit me with the hilt and everything when black.

When I came to again I was in one of three barns on the premises. This one smelled like it had been the dairy barn. The dirt floor around me was stained red. With the smell of my blood in the air it wasn't hard to guess what had happened. I was bleeding. He had hit me hard.

"Oh, your awake. Good. Now let me tell you something, Princess. I was tired of watching you and your brother. Having to protect _you_, of all people, because of your stupid humanity issues. Listening to Cat and Bones gripe about how you needed more protection if you were going to be doing these missions. Marcus always believed you'd come around one day and brace what you were. He believed in you and thought that you were an indestructible team. Well, where is that team now? Your alone in the world."

"What do you want?" I asked. We could skip all of this. I knew it all too well. He was military. He was trying to break me.

"I couldn't kill him. He saw it coming. He envisioned it. You, on the other hand. Well, I can kill you so easily." He gloated.

"He's still alive, you know." My brother was still alive. It didn't matter where he was at this point, he was alive.

"Of course he is. He uses his powers. He knows when to move away from a situation. That's what he did, that's your downfall. You will end up in cage just like him. They were right about you, though. You rely too much on your humanity, afraid of what it would mean to let go of the full vampire. Afraid the monster you will become." He pulled me to my feet so I stood directly in front of him. Facing the barn door.

"Who's 'they,' Flash?" I whispered quietly. Whoever they were they had my brother and I was going to get him back.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I did want to know. If I knew then I might be one step closer to Marcus.

"I'm not afraid." I whispered.

"Are you talking to me, or death? Because he's coming for you. I was ordered to bring you to him, but I'm taking things into my own hands." I heard the gun cock again, "When I found you it was too late, your wolf had lost his temper and turned on you."

I turned on my inner vampire, but I was too slow and at the moment several things happened all in the exact same instent. I heard the gunshot as I felt my head jolt forward. There was a crashing sound. I couldn't determine where it had come from. All around me were sounds of growling and screaming.

Pain... Searing hot pain... This is what it feels like….

Term

As I entered through the sliding glass from the beach Bones was entering from the front door in a rush. I was still naked from my shift, but it didn't bother me to be nude. It was a second nature to my kind. It didn't seem to bother him either.

"Where the bloody hell have you been? I've been trying to ring you for over an hour now!" He asked.

"My meeting! Where's Rose?" She should have been back by now. I grabbed my sweatpants from the couch and slid them on.

"I told you to keep her in sight. Bloody hell but you are daft!" Bones grabbed my phone from the coffee table and threw it at me.

I had seven missed calls and a text. The calls were all from Bones, but the text was from Rose: Gone to Networth. Information. See you in a couple hours. Love you! The time was 3 hours ago.

"Fuck!" _What was she thinking?_

"Let's go!" Bones' eyes now glinted with green as we rushed out the door.

"I can run faster than you can drive!"

"We're with you!" Cat called from outside of the door.

I didn't even stop to think about what I was doing or who could see me. I jumped off of the front porch, pulling my energy from the earth below and shifting my weight to all fours. I didn't pause as I started to run in the direction of the old dilapidated farm. The vampires were on my tail.

As soon as we hit a wooded area I could pick up pace and get there faster. It would have been a half an hours drive, but I could get there in less than 10 minutes as my wolf.

_"What the hell?" _Of course they could see what was going on back home. I always had one of my brothers on duty back home for communication.

_"Eaton, get Regulous!"_ I mentally yelled.

My brothers could now see what was going on. They could feel every emotion as it ran through me. The pain ripping through my heart at the thought that something could happen to her.

_"Wish we were there man!" _Daniel spoke next.

_"It's probably nothing." _Regulous spoke lightly, but I could see the true concern in his thoughts.

_"TELEPATHY!" _I cursed it. This was a time that I really didn't need it.

There was silence the rest of the way. No one dared to say a thing to me as we made our way to the farm. I could see their thoughts and concern, but no one spoke it.

In the past months Rose had become my life. She was my setting sun and rising moon. She was my angel and savior. She was my mate. She hadn't known it, but my wolf had chosen her vampire far before we consummated it. She was mine.

"Term!" Cat called, dragging me away from my brothers concerns. She pointed at a barn across the field, I could sense them in there. Rose and a male vampire.

"I'll pop in the side. Kitten get her out! Term, you know what to do!" Bones gave a curt nod as he spoke a little more hushed, due to the fact that we were closer.

Bones crashed through the wall at the same time I ran through the barn doors. I saw her standing there, eyes closed as she swallowed hard. With a gun at point blank range aimed at the back of her head. As the trigger was pulled her eyes opened and she looked at me as if not seeing a thing. Her glinting green eyes. I watched her blood splatter out into the open air as her body hit the ground.

_"ROSE!" _I could feel my overwhelming pain reflected from my brothers. My pain five times over and then some. They started to howl in pain.

I didn't have time to think. I dove after the vampire. Sinking my teeth into his arm, I ripped some off and went for more. Every body part possible was going to make it's way to my mouth. I would tear him into pieces. Scatter his body parts in the field as he had spattered Rose's blood in this room. Immortal my ass! As vampires before him, he would meet his fate at my fang.

"Rose! No! Please swallow. Please! You need to swallow. Please!" I heard Cat crying out as her and Bones leaned over Rose's lifeless body.

I felt helpless. I was too late to save the woman I loved. The one I devoted myself to. Her beautiful body sprawled out on the dirt flooring, like she was nothing.

Every moment, every glance that I had ever shared with that amazing creature was now turned into anger as I faced the man that killed her. He would be dead as soon as soon as I could get that fucking head off of his shoulders.

I had knocked him down to the ground and started to tear at his neck with my fangs when I was suddenly slammed into the side of the barn in the far corner. I turned on my asailent, ready to attack until I realized it was Bones.

"She'll be fine. She's healing." His look was solemn, as he sat in his crouch. He wouldn't look at me as he watched the vamp on the ground.

"Slowly." Cat spoke quietly, choking on sobs. She wasn't moving her gaze away from Rose. "Her heart is beating. I'm going to call the guys to come with an ambulance and capsule. She's going to need lots of blood. Flash?"

"Flash." Bones' voice was thoughtful, "Just as we suspected, Kitten."

"He had been there since the beginning." Cat still spoke softly.

"He's still alive. When the bits grow back and reconnect we're going to have a little conversation. Just him and I." Bones kicked what was left, so hard that the remaining parts of the vampire moved a few feet accross the dirt. It would all grow back. It would hurt in the meantime.

I moved over to where Rose lay motionless on the ground. The hole that the bullet had made when it had exited her forehead was now healed, leaving the residue of blood behind. Her breath was shallow, but she wasn't moving. There was a large pool of blood around her head that drenched her hair. I had almost lost her. It was then that I knew I couldn't live without her.

I laid my head on her stomach and stared up at her face. It was the closest that I could get to her in wolf form, but I couldn't change back. I was too upset . When a shifter has something so angering and tragic happen to them, they can't control their shift. I had never experienced it. Till now.

"We assume he was working with someone?" Cat asked Bones.

"In order to go against Mencheres and I." He gave a curt nod. "He had to be working with someone else. The question, Love, is who." Bones kicked his body again.

_"She's okay." _Adam exhaled. Relaxing for the first time.

_"I need you here." _I spoke.

_"You can't move the whole family. Someone needs to be in charge here." _Jody whined.

_"I can make arangements. You're all getting on a plane tomorrow. Everyone comes. You heard Bones just as well as I did. There could be more." _If there was, I was going to be prepared.

_"Keep us in touch. We will fallow your direction." _I knew that I could rely on Regulous.

_"What?" _Eaton complained.

_"Daniel, Term and I are in charge. You fallow our orders from your alpha. Jody too. You need to learn, we protect our own. Term has Chosen Rose. She is one of us now."_

"Term." Rose choked out and, without control, my wolf whimpered.

Rose

I was in the back of a van when I woke up. Lying on a cot with an iv in my arm. I could hear Bones talking to someone outside, "Put him in. We'll finish this later."

Term was next to me. His body rigid.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice was hoarse.

"You were shot." Term replied staring strait ahead, a tense look in his eyes.

"I'm okay?" I sat up slowly, feeling a mild burn. I must not have been fully healed yet.

"Because of your parents." He gave a slow nod.

"Oh." My hair felt wet as I ran a hand through it. When I pulled back it was covered in blood. My blood. I couldn't smell it too well, because my vampire was tired and hibernating again. I needed to heal.

"I couldn't save you." He jerked his gaze in my direction. Anger clouded him.

"I'm fine, Term." I said sheepishly. "My Cat and Bones saved me."

"You didn't have to watch the one you love get shot in the head! You're lucky he missed main brain stems!" He argued. "If he hadn't you wouldn't have been able to swallow and you ouldn't be here now."

"You saw it?"

"Of course I saw it! I was there, Rose!" He yelled, grabbing my face in his hands and searching my eyes. His deep yellow eyes started to tear.

"How?"

"Wolf!"

"I'm Sorry. That would explain the clothes though." He wore an FBI sweatshirt and blue jeans, no shoes or socks.

"It's not funny! What if I had lost you?" Okay, trying to change the subject didn't work.

"You didn't."

"What if I had? I didn't have it in me to save you." He shook his head.

"Term, I don't need you to save me. I just need you to be here for me. You know that."

"I'm here aren't I?" His voice was soft. Almost a whisper. "I'm not out there, where I should be. I've never wanted to kill anything so harshly."

"You are exactly where you should be. Here with me." I pulled myself into him, feeling his heavy arms wrap around me tightly. Almost too tightly.

"What were you thinking?" He voice hitched.

"He sent me a text saying that he had information. I had to find out what he knew. No one is telling me anything. Term, Marcus is still alive and Flash knows where!" Term knew about Marcus, he had heard from several different sides what had happened that day Marcus disappeared. It was part of his job. They had been investigating it for the past 2 years. I knew they had.

"Okay, he's still alive and they've been looking for him. You nearly died to find that out. You could have just asked, I would have told you if it would have kept you away from here."

"What happened with Flash? Where is he now?"

"He's out there. They're sending him to the base."

"He's not dead?, good."

"That's another reason why I'm in here. I had him in my teeth. Bones didn't want him dead." He growled, like a feral dog. "The only way I can control myself is to be in here. If I see him I loose it."

"You're right, Mate.I need him alive. He has some information I want." Bones swung the doors open and was looking me over. "She's okay now." Bones nodded to Term.

"I see that." He held his head high.

"You can calm down now." Bones stared at him.

"No!" They watched each other in silence for a minute.

"What now?" I asked, breaking their stares.

"I'm hiding you out. That's what." Term responded, looking at me, no readable expression on his face.

"Where do you expect to hide me?" Another hideout. Just what I needed.

"I need to get my brothers here, then we can decide. I need my pack." He swallowed hard and looked at Bones.

I expected Bones to argue, but he actually agreed, "We could use them. I have a place for you. They can meet you there. We're not discussing it here. Lets head out."

"What?" I started to shriek, then thought better of it when my head started to pound, "How long was I out?"

We had finally made it home around 4am after filing the 'appropriate papers' and questioning my asailant. Term had called his beta and everything had been set into motion. Mencheres had a home in Canada that we could use. The guys would have plenty of room to run around and play wolves, while I hid remotely in the woods. Bones and Mencheres were going to have a few of their own trusted men there to help Term's pack keep guard.

I wasn't happy with this outcome, but there was no telling who flash had told of our location. It was, as bones would say, "Merely a precaution."

Term hadn't let go of me all evening, he even fallowed me into the showers at the base. Helping me wash out my hair. I don't think he blinked once all evening. He seemed more horrified with the events than anyone else had been. I knew I would have been devastated had I been in his shoes, but it's no need to fallow me into the restroom.

As we walked into the house we had 4 vampires in toe with 4 extra military guards, two in the back and two out the front. I was done for the evening. Term and I would be leaving tomorrow at 2, but for now I needed to sleep. I went strait to the stairs that led to our bedroom.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Bed, I'm kicked." I turned to him dryly. I was exhausted.

"I'll go with you." He didn't sound tired at all. Just reflective.

"I'm sure you can all find a room. Just stay out of Marc's." I referred to the group of vampires now standing in a semi-circle around the foot of the step gawking at me.

Once in my room I showered again, dressed for bed and climbed in as Term sat huddled on the edge of the bed, his back to me.

"Term?"

"Yes." He choked out. I couldn't help but reach for him as his shoulders started to quake.

"Term. I love you."

"How could you do that to me, then?" He was crying.

"Term, I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't think, Rose. You are more important to me than anyone in this world and I will _never be able to forget what happened today."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"You don't value your life one bit. Be proud of who you are and what you can do. Don't push it out. Don't hide it. Your strong. Why didn't you use your power? I know you could have taken him out before he even pulled that gun."_

_"I don't like that side of me, Term. It's not living."_

_"It's who you are, Rose. Who you were born to be. Every breath that little body takes. Every time your heart beats. That is life, Rose. Your living! Be happy that you have that! No human has what you have. No vampire does either."_

_"Term-"_

_"No more tonight. Just go to sleep, Rose. We've all had a rough day."_

_Taking heed, I went to sleep. It was the first night since we had been together that he didn't hold me. He wouldn't._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rose

When I woke up in the morning Term wasn't in bed. I showered and clothed myself in blue jeans and a pink "Rocker Chick" tee that Term had gotten me and I lumbered down the stairs.

I knew that Term would like to see me using at least a little more of the vampire so I left it on light driving for the present, since I wasn't anticipating any danger in my near future. I had all my abilities open except for my extra hearing. He could be happy with that.

He was found in the kitchen making breakfast for what seemed to be a miniature army. I had forgotten they were coming today. Five guys and two women were standing around the large kitchen. All had lightly tanned skin and dark features. His family.

It looked like the ladies were trying to help, while the guys sat back and relaxed as though they had been here for a while. They seemed really at home here. It was comforting that someone could. The feel of it was inviting me in. It would have been something Marcus would have done.

"Hey, your awake!" Term dropped what he was doing to come over and give me a kiss on the lips. I could feel the heat rising to my face.

"Vamps can blush?" One guy spoke out. Term gave him a toxic look.

"Doll, these are my brothers." He pointed to the group, ushering me into the midst's of them. "The youngest and most obnoxious, Jody. Then there's Eaton and Daniel, the twins. Adam. Then there's Regulous my Beta. All in that order, actually." As if going through a line he named them all, they waved at the mention of their names. All of them were so similar that I had to point very slight differences in appearance.

Term was the tallest with broad shoulders. Regulous was slightly shorter, and over buffed. Adam had more of a patient, calmness about him. Daniel and Eaton were taller and extremely thin, as if they had never grown into their height. Jody was just really _really _tan.

"Hi." I smiled and waved back. They all looked so big.

Term moved over and put his arms on the slightly older woman's shoulders. "And this is my mom, Jean Coulter." He gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was a slender woman, about 5'6" with dark, curly hair and large dark brown eyes. I could see where they got their looks, but she just seemed too small to have all these guys.

"Nice to meet you." I put my hand out to shake, but she pulled me into a hug. Something I thought you only saw in movies.

"Hello, Rose. It's nice to finally meet you. You can call me Jean or Mom, whatever is more comfortable for you. Sorry about my boys. They know so much about you due to the telepathy thing, so they just go with it." She had such a warm smile. One only a mother could have, but I didn't even call my own mother Mom that often.

"It's okay. As long as they're comfortable."

"Don't say that. You will never get rid of them. I'm Courtney, Regulous's wife. Term was too rude and forgot to introduce us. Feel sorry for me. Very sorry." She was a tall, blonde and built like a model. She gave off the vibe that she didn't take any crap. I liked her already.

"I'll remember that. Thanks." I laughed.

"You want some breakfast, Doll?" Term asked from the stove now.

"What are we having?" The smells suddenly excited my taste buds.

"Eggs, bacon, toast-"

"-And pancakes? I smell pancakes." I smiled widely. He knew I liked his pancakes.

"Just for you."

"You put her in a good mood last night. Thanks, Bro." Jody walked over and patted Term on the back, speaking quietly. In return, Term glowered at him and started to growl. It reminded me of real wolves in the wild. Ready to tare each other's throats out.

"Corners boys." His mother spoke, oblivious to the comment. You could tell she was used to all the boys' spats. She didn't even look up.

"Telepathy." Jody looked at me, wagging his brows with a smile, he shrugged before walking away.

"You didn't tell me they knew about _that _stuff." I whispered to Term.

"I thought I had made it clear." He shrugged and kept going about his business.

"You didn't. I would have remembered something like that." _Someone isn't getting laid for a while._

"Who wants to get out and actually do something tonight?" Regulous came in and kissed Courtney on the cheek. Grabbing some of the veggies she was chopping, before she could playfully slap his hands.

It was late Friday evening. Her and Jean had been helping me cook all week. Cooking for six guys was like cooking for an army, but it was fun to have them all there. It took our minds off of other things when they were around. I liked Courtney too, she was a lot like me, except for the fact that she shifted. She was fun to sit around the indoor pool with.

I was beginning to open up in little intervals to my 'vampire within', as Term described it. He seemed proud of me, although it wasn't at need. I kept in light vamp 90 percent of the time. The other 10 percent was when it was just him and I. I fully opened to the thoughts swirling around. His thoughts.

I even ran with them, which was fun. I had someone else to keep my pace. I had always wanted another dog after Roam, now there were 7 living with me. Eight if you counted their mom, but she didn't shift anymore. She said it was too costly at her age, which I thought was funny, but then she told me that she was 78. Apparently shifters age a little slower.

"You guys should have fun, you work too much!" I replied, trying to be happy for them. I hadn't been out since a week before we left my nice home on the beach. I was feeling the ache.

"What do you mean, Doll? We're going too." Term came up from behind encircling me in his arms.

I turned to face him to see if he was kidding. "We get to go too? Seriously?" I was ecstatic, I didn't think that we would ever go out again.

"Absolutely… Well, as long as you wear that little leather outfit." He growled quietly in my ear.

"Only the best for you, Baby." I turned and kissed him full on the lips. It had been a week since we had been intimate, I couldn't get over the fact that his brothers knew what turned me on. I was feeling the burn. I knew he was too. It wasn't like he hadn't tried.

"Barf, come on! We had to deal with Reg and Court, now it's you two?" Daniel griped as he sat in a chair on the other side of the counter.

"Seriously, will you ware it?" Term moved to the fridge to get something to drink. When I looked back at him he smiled impishly, wagging his brows.

"Wait and see." I threw a turnip at him and laughed as he ducked.

"Hey that's dinner!" Eaton snapped.

"Then go and get it!" I shot back at him, still laughing.

"We're taking the cycle, the guys are in the SUV." Term

pointed out as we moved to the motorcycle parked in the driveway.

He had his motorcycle flown here by Tate's crew during the week. He had told Bones that it was easier to maneuver for fast getaways. I guess Bones believed him, because here it was and there he was in all hotness astride it when I stepped out of the house.

"Where are we off to?"

"Some nightclub about an hour south of here. Adam looked it up. He's pretty good at picking this sort of thing."

"This should be interesting." Heavy sarcasm rimmed my voice. The first thing that came to mind unfortunately was strip club, but I was giving Adam the benefit of doubt.

"Doll, you have never partied with us. It's always interesting." He laughed then we took off down the drive.

Term

When we walked into the club several heads turned toward us. People that were sitting at the bar pivoted. Even people on the dance floor stopped and looked in our direction when we moved closer.

The guys were watching Rose. Their eyes traveled the length of her slender leather clad body. I couldn't blame them, she was hot, but I also couldn't condone it. I moved my hand from hers to her lower back. My next step was to grab her ass.

Rose started to giggle.

"What?" I bent down to ask her ear.

"You're tan." She giggled again.

"What?" Now I was just confused.

"You all have tans." She pointed at my arm. "Look around."

I did as she said and realized that due to the fact that it was November and we were standing in a bar in Canada, fully tanned, we stuck out. It hadn't even occurred to me that would be a possibility. We were from a town on the fringes of the woods in Maine, where they where all the people were shifters. We were all tan.

"Oh, yeah point made." I started to laugh with her. It was a true laugh from her, one that I hadn't heard in a week now.

Once the initial shock went away no one paid much attention to us. Unless you counted the guys that where still ogling the ladies. We danced for hours, drank, told jokes, played pool and Rose even got to hear a story or two about me when I was young. We had a great time.

Rose and I were heading back to our seats after another dance when she froze in mid stride. I felt the air, glancing at my brothers when I realized what it was. Vampire. 3 of them. I didn't recognize any of the scents. This couldn't be a coincidence.

She glanced at me with a look of fear as she turned on her vampire. The power around her was vibrating with strength. She was so small that it seemed unlikely that so much power could be compressed in her, just to come out at will.

"_Is everything okay?" _

"They noticed me, but none of them know what to think. They don't know what you guys are."

"_Are they after you?" _After one glance into her eyes I had my answer.

"Guys. Out!" They knew what was going on. They had felt it to and were ready for my call. We were getting out of there and fast.

_Rose_

When we moved out to the parking lot we all knew that we were being fallowed. Term rushed me to the bike that we had parked next to the SUV and tried to shove me on. With his brothers backing him up, I noticed that Regulous was trying to shove Courtney into the vehicle. She wasn't budging either. We could fight.

"No, I can handle it."

"_Rose, I don't think it's a good idea." _He gave me a wary glance and I could see his pain as he remembered what had happened last week.

"It's me they want, it's me they're going to get." My eyes flashed green as I glared at Term. The three vampires were now approaching.

"We have to do something." Regulous replied, full of anger, all directed to Term. "We've never waited this long for an answer from you."

"I know!" Term took his glance off of me and directed a stare at his brother. Which gave me the perfect opportunity to slip around him.

I could hear what they were thinking once I tuned out the wolves. _Why here with them? What are they? Are they guarding her?_

"What do you want?" I spoke quietly, as if I didn't know.

"What are they?" The leader swaggered closer to me as I did to him. He was short and lean. He wore cowboy boots and a flannel shirt. Didn't fit in to the nightclub scene at all.

"What do you think they are? I'm a normal person, enjoying a night out with my friends and your kind of bothering us." I laughed a little easy breezy.

"Not with that power. I feel it rolling off of you. I smell the vampire." _She's the one Tomas is looking for._

Tomas must have been the one that Flash had been working for. He had to be the reason my brother was missing, but why.

"Really." I Nodded once smiling.

"_Can you really read our minds?" _He mentally asked.

I didn't respond. Giving him time.

_She might not be using it. He said that she hasn't used it for 2 years. She has the creatures with her though. She smells a little similar. It has to be her, she even looks like him. _I saw his memory flash to the barn where I was shot right before I saw Marc's face in a faint light. His memory of seeing and smelling my brother. Now I was pissed.

"You were at the barn? After I was shot?"

"Of course I was. Someone had to clean that idiot's mess. So, you _can_ hear thoughts after all?" _We've got her._

"Yes, but that's okay, because no one will ever know." I smiled my darkest smile, "So, tell me. Is there anything else that you want to get out there before I kill you and your scared little friends?"

I could see his mental anguish as he tried to calculate his next move. The only problem was one he knew too well. I could see what he was going to as he thought it.

"Now!" Term forced out and he and his brothers shifted, flanking behind me as they growled at the now slowly approaching vampires.

The lead vampire lunged after me fully fanged, but before anyone could react I pinned him face down on the ground with his arms twisted behind him. My vampire rejoiced as she sat there. She wanted to stretch her wings and feel the fight.

"Stay where you are Term." Term had begun to advance. I couldn't risk him attacking if I was going to get more information from this vamp. "If you go after anyone you get his goons, got it?" The silver and black wolf gave me a nod.

"You're fairly new. What, maybe 40 years? Do you know how it feels to have a limb ripped off? It takes about 10 minutes to grow back and it kind of hurts like hell." I twisted an arm for effect.

"Jesus!" He shouted out.

"Not Jesus. He's not here, I'm Rogue." I introduced myself as the vampire. "Tell me something I _want _to know. Who are you? Where is Marcus and don't lie to me, because I WILL know!" I slammed his head into pavement.

"I won't tell you a thing!"

"You're brave." I scoffed. "You fallowed me out here, so start talking!" He spit out some blood as his head slammed into the pavement again.

"You can't do anything to me." He spoke forcefully, but I could see the fear in his mind.

One thing that I had learned at early age is always come prepared for anything. I reached into my pant leg and pulled out my silver. As I stabbed it into his back I could see and hear the mental cringes of my audience.

"Do you like that, Honey?" I asked.

"Well you are wearing leather. I guess it goes with the bondage." His eyes raked over me.

"It's one of my boyfriend's favorites. You like?" I asked, not really caring. Term growled in the background.

"Talk!" I gave a little jerk to the blade.

Suddenly I saw images of a house, more vampires, weapons, my brother in a dark room. _He doesn't want Marc, he's got him to get to you. That's why he hasn't killed him._ A blonde vampire came to his vision. He had a crew cut with blonde hair and he was too muscular, like a weight lifter whose neck was thicker than their head.

"What does he want with me?"

"What Cat gave Bones." We all knew what that was. A baby.

Term growled again, this time he sounded feral. Regulous stood in front of him. Blocking his shot at the vampire on the ground.

"It doesn't even work like that!" I spat out. "_Where is he_?"

"Somewhere in Texas now, he won't tell us exactly. He has everyone that goes there blindfolded for those purposes. It won't help you to know anyway. He's got forces and they will come to get you." I had forces too.

The vampire under my blade moved his head to peer at his friends and they started to move out. A planned escape for them to go back and tell the boss? Or at least attempt it. Term's 5 brothers went after them, while Term and Courtney stayed.

"Not if I go after him first." Suddenly something occurred to me. "How did _you _know that I was here?"

"He has someone on the inside. Someone no one has ever seen. He sent me to Canada. I wasn't supposed to come back until I confirmed you."

"What happens if you don't go back at all?" I asked calmly.

"Like the other ones. He moves on."

"Other ones?" There were more?

"Your wolf there, he killed 2 in North Carolina and 1 here yesterday. Your father's people, 5 total. It's been going on for 2 years now. He's sending out more people by the day."

"Name?"

"What?"

"Name!" I knew he could comprehend, so I gave my blade another little jerk and loved the pain that echoed in his yowl.

"Johan!"

"I've heard enough." Before anyone could protest I twisted my blade and he withered underneath me.

The ride home was fast. Term had shifted back, apparently shifters always had extra clothing just in case they needed it. I had shut myself off when I knew it was over, not wanting to invade anyone's privacy. The twins stayed in wolf form at Term's orders to eliminate the evidence and were going to run home afterward.

Upon arrival we had said goodnight and thank you to his remaining siblings at the door and started bounding up stairs. I moved first, with Term close behind. I heard a sudden movement behind me and turned to see Term taking his shirt off with a look on his face that was fiercely sexy. We hadn't even made it out of view yet, but he seemed determined. We both sped up a bit. Once in the room he turned on me, slamming the door shut and me into it.

My vampire was back on.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_Term_

_And here it comes_

The next morning I woke up with rose curled around my body, she was cooing in her sleep. It was such a peaceful sound. She looked like an angel the way her hair tangled around her face.

Looking at her now, as she slept one would never know that she was the same one from last night. She seemed so fragile and delicate now, but last night had been murderously strong. She hadn't shown any mercy, which I was very satisfied with. The southern vampires deserved what they got and this other vampire that wanted her, he could think again. She was mine.

She would never be able to mother my child for my line as long as she had her humanity, but I wasn't going to implement a change that I knew she didn't want. I honestly didn't care either. I could always leave it up to Regulous and Courtney to have that glory of birthing the Alpha. As long as I had Rose right where she was I didn't care about my line or all the politics that went with it. When the time came, I would pass the bill to my niece or nephew.

I decided that it was time for me to get up. As comfortable as I was I still had to call Bones and let him know what we found out from last night's activities.

I rolled out of the bed quietly, hoping that I wouldn't wake Rose. I grabbed some sweatpants and my cell phone then trudged down the massive staircase. I figured that there was no need to shower until I after I got back from my run with the pack. Maybe I could even get a shower with Rose.

I made my way to the kitchen first to get something to eat. Looking in the fridge, I settled for just orange juice. When I turned around to get a glass Vlad sat on the other side of the counter. He wasn't there when I came in. I hated how vampires could move like that. Then I found myself fascinated with the idea that Rose might be able to move like that.

"Bell, Man. Big, loud bell." I glared at him. He had been pretty scarce all week. Only appearing around Rose. I couldn't complain though, as far as protection went he was it. He was Dracula.

"If you let the vampire out to play, do you think you can reign her in again?" I knew that he spoke of Rose, but I had no idea what he meant.

"First Mencheres and now you? Doesn't anyone speak English?" A little annoyed with the cryptic I grabbed my glass and filled it, putting the O.J. back in the fridge.

"She has strength and power, but the base was all she knew. She left them, not wanting that life anymore." Vlad seemed curiously remorseful as he looked into my eyes. "You are waking up her vampire after 2 years of silence, where do you think that will get you? She won't be able to give up and let other people be in charge. She's strong and she knows that she can use that strength to our benefits. She won't listen to you. She's like her mother and won't rest now until it is all over. She will be at the base again before you can say 'Boo.'"

I thought of the angel in the bed upstairs. I knew that when it came to her brother she might not give up, could I risk it? Maybe Bones was right to keep her out of things. It wasn't like I had tried to put her into them. They came after us, we didn't go after them.

Shaking my head to clear it, I grabbed my juice and headed out the back, "I have to call Bones."

I heard Vlad chuckle behind me, "Good luck."

As soon as I dialed the number he picked up, I didn't hear the ring.

"Why am I hearing from my guards that you took her out last night? When I gave specific orders not to leave?"

"We have breaking news. The Vampire that has Marcus is in Texas, his name is Johan and he knows about Rose and Cat." I decided to get it all out and leave out the details of _how_ we got the information.

"Why don't you tell me what happened and why you took my daughter out for a night on the town, knowing that she needed _full_ protection." It wasn't a question, it was an order and he was trying to keep his calm.

"She can protect herself, which she showed us last night."

"She opened up." I could hear the disbelief in his voice.

"She did. She actually got the information from the guy before she crispy creamed him." I was still stunned myself and I had seen it

"Rose is your girlfriend Term, nothing more. She is my daughter before anything that the two of you have at this point. She is _my_ line and _my_ blood. I make the decisions and you will have no more outings. We will see you on Thanksgiving." The line went dead.

I thought that went well. It was the best conversation we'd had since he walked in on Rose and I a month ago.

"Do you enjoy rubbing all our noses in it?" Adam asked as the group walked over to me. All of us were sweat pant clad. It made it easier for us to undress for our run.

I smiled, of course now that I thought of it, I was kind of rubbing it in. Sex with no shower after. Rose was magnificent, who wouldn't gloat?

"Okay, let's do this so bro can tell us how good his night was and we can get it over with." Reggie seemed to be all business.

"Where's Court?" Daniel started stretching.

"I let her sleep. She looked peaceful." He shrugged.

"She'll be pissed she missed it." Eaton shook his head.

"I'll deal with that later." He rolled his eyes at the comment.

We got back early afternoon. I went to the pool room to see if Rose was there with Courtney, they had spent most of their free time swimming in the warm water but no one was there. I made my way though the house peering in every room for her. When I walked in to what seemed to a sitting room Courtney was sprawled across a chair, but no Rose.

"Rose is upstairs." She smiled at me. "She's showering for the third time this morning."

"Why?"

She giggled, "Ask her."

I made my way up the stairs to our room with no interruption. I could hear the shower on and her sputtering.

"Ew-ew-ew! Gross!" It sounded like she was marching in place. "Eww…"

"Rose, Doll, are you okay? What happened." I could smell mild traces of blood. Not sure where they were coming from. Had she been hurt?

"Nothing happened. I have a… period! Ugh!" She huffed.

I started to laugh.

"It's not funny Term." She opened the shower door to glare at me. "Not funny at all! It's so nasty!"

"It's natural."

"Not for me." She had a point, she hadn't had one since I had known her. "I have to wear a tampon, Term! A Tampon!"

I couldn't help but laugh again. She was so cute when she flipped over ridiculous little things. I wondered if it was a part of her PMS this time.

"Women have periods all the time. Just because your primarily a vampire doesn't mean your immune to humanities." I laughed again and climbed into the shower behind her. I still needed to take one.

Rose

Two weeks later I woke up at about 2 am with a heavy acid taste in my mouth. Almost as though it were coming from my teeth. My stomach felt awful. Like someone had kicked me. When I opened my eyes to check on Term the room started to spin. My mouth started to fill with the acid coming out of my stomach.

I ran to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet to release it all. When I did I got a wrenching feel instead of the release I had hoped for. More and more came up after every heave. I didn't know I had that much in me.

"Rose?" Term came running in and started to check me over. "You okay, Doll?"

"I think I'm throwing up."

"That would be what is called, Hon." He shook his head as he chuckled.

"Why are you always laughing at me?"

"I'm sorry maybe you drank too much. Or have a virus. You could have eaten something you didn't agree with. Just relax. You'll feel better." He gave me a ruminating look.

"I can't relax. I have bile coming out of me." More came out at that moment. "Eww."

"Haven't you ever been sick before?" His brow furrowed.

"No." After a moment of thought I realized that I had never actually been sick. I had been hurt, but never sick. Not even a cold.

"What?" I asked when he paused, as if not knowing what to do or think about this new situation. Just a month ago I had been shot and he didn't have the look on his face that he had now.

"Well, lets get you up and into bed." He rolled his eyes, as if it was some kind of inside joke and helped me up and guiding me to the bed.

"What if I get sick again?" I whined. "Shouldn't I stay in the bathroom?"

"I will be here. Just call out, I'll leave the door cracked so I can hear you. Should I call Tate at the base? If you haven't been sick before and are now throwing up he might want to see you."

"Can't I take some medicine or something? Isn't that what people normally do?"

"Go back to sleep. When you wake up, if your still sick I'll call Tate."

"Yes Dr."

I woke up again at 4, 5 and 7. That was when Term decided that we needed to call Tate.

Term

I shut myself in the library, not wanting anyone to overhear my conversation. And I dialed the number.

"Tate."

"It's Term, I think we need medical assistance."

"Is she okay?"

How could I explain this… "She's throwing up. She said she's never been sick before."

"You're kidding." He paused as if waiting for an answer that didn't come. "Has anything weird or out of ordinary happened lately? Something that's not normal for _her_? Can you sense what I'm getting at?"

"You mean like a period that she's never had before?"

"Yeah." He sighed, "How is her blood intake?"

"Not much lately. She hasn't been to the basement in about 3 days and she won't touch her blood bags. She says that she can live without blood though."

"She can." There was another pause then he spoke again in a cautious tone. "Did you use protection?"

I knew what he was asking. "It's not possible."

"Fuck! Did you use _anything_?"

"Look, do I need to bring her in or not?" I wasn't explaining myself to him. I barely knew the guy. We hadn't used any and I knew what was asking. Rose couldn't be pregnant. Vampires didn't get pregnant and she wouldn't unless she was fully changed. It wouldn't happen while I still lived.

There was a longer pause this time. "Yes. I'll send Juan. He's in the area and he can get you here quickly. 15 minutes on the landing pad."

Rose

By 9am we were there. Despite the 2 hours it normally took to get there and my blood had been drawn. Apparently Tate thought that it was an important issue.

Term and I stayed in Tate's office waiting to see if they could find anything. I of course, being the sick one, laid on the sofa with my feet on Term and a pail next to my head for my next scene from the exorcist.

"You going to be okay?" He had been watching me closely since I dressed to get here.

"Fine. Just fine. Haven't been sick for and hour." I waved an arm at him as if it were no big deal.

"You want to talk?"

"Tired." Who knew that vomiting took that much out of you?

"Okay. Just rest, Doll."

A few minutes later Tate came in the room, papers in hand. He didn't seem to happy. "You're going to have to tell them this one. I hate Bones more than anyone, but I won't tell him."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Did you- You know?" Term asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. Apparently it was a private conversation. One I wasn't involved in.

"It was the first thing we tested for. The ONLY thing we needed to test for, since you didn't fucking wrap it!" He leaned against his desk, setting his papers next to him.

"What?" I sat up strait as the room swam. I never liked the whole beating around the bush thing. It was time someone told me what was going on.

"You're pregnant, Rose." Term buried his head in his hands. The words sounded cold. Very cold and inhumane as he said them. He didn't bother to look at me.

"I knew as soon as Term told me you were sick. It was the second sign with Cat." Tate tossed his files on the desk as he leaned against it.

"What was the first?" I asked.

"She had a period." Term couldn't look at me either. What was I, a Cyclops?

"And no one informed me that this could happen? Is it even possible? I had never had a period before. Don't I need one to start with in order to even get pregnant?" I was stunned. I didn't know what to ask or what to do. I stood and started to pace, all illness suddenly gone.

"We need to figure things out. Dates it could have happened, the size of the fetus determines the age." Tate spoke, but it sounded far off in a distance.

"Is it possible?" I hadn't gotten an answer yet. _Had I?_

"You already asked that, Doll." Term finally looked up, meeting my eyes. He seemed just as lost as me.

"Well, is it?" I paused and waited for an answer.

"Apparently." Term slowly rose to his feet and put both hands on my shoulders. To slow me down he wrapped his arms around me.

"Date? Pick a day of the week. Your guess is as good as mine." I mumbled.

"There has never been a birth of this magnitude before, this is three species combined. Human, shifter and vampire. We need to know what it will mainly possess. Weather there is a dominant gene, like the vampire in you. It's not a joke Rose." Tate said quietly.

My mind spun. It would be a baby though. One that would need extra protection. One that would need support and help. Love. It would need us. Term and I. _I _would be a mother?

"I'm not joking, Tate. I'm still astounded that I'm even pregnant, now this 'baby might have three heads' thing is being thrown at me?" I started to walk out, but I was stopped by Term holding firmly in place. When I looked into his eyes I saw his fear.

"I need you to stay for a few more tests. We're going to do more blood work and try an ultrasound. We weren't able to get them on Cat, but we can try with you. This baby is more… _it's different _than you were." He tossed some pills from the top of the files at me. "The doc said that these will slow down the nausea. Take one now and we'll head down." Big red pills. Yay. I took one and started out the door. With Tate behind us Term was at my side.

An hour and six tubes of blood later I was on the table, with the engineer holding the mouse to my stomach. The gel was cold and slimy, but it did what they needed. I couldn't see anything, the screen was just a jumbled mess to, but apparently the sonographer could read it.

"I can see into the amniotic sack. I couldn't see it with Cat. This is a very good thing, plus the heartbeat is normal. I'm going to take my measurements."

It took about 5 minutes. No one dared to speak to each other. Everyone stared intently at the screen.

"In exactly 5 months you will be proud parents. Give or take a week. I can't determine the sex yet, but we will be able to tell soon."

"5 months?" I asked. "My mother was only pregnant four."

"The gestational time varies with the species. I did some math and came to the conclusion. Now, I had to take into accountability the size of the embryo and the fact that you just started morning sickness early this morning. Naturally you would be a month along if your starting morning sickness, but since your metabolism moves faster, I believe we are about two weeks after conception. The size of the embryo says that it's 14 weeks along right now. Anyway, Factoring that with a little more math leaves us at 5 months. Although I need to monitor the growth pattern over the next couple of weeks to be positive."

_I hate math._ I thought in vivid colors as I pictured myself cutting out this vampire's tongue. It would just grow back anyway.

"I don't think I caught any of that." Term's eyes slanted as he glared at the poor man sitting across from us.

"5 months you daddy, Caveman! It baby." I simplified it sarcastically pointing to my stomach. I don't think anyone was truly happy about the situation. I turned to Term who had turned white in color. He couldn't speak.

Tate stood near the door. "I won't tell Bones. He hates me enough. That's for you to do."

"Secret for now?" I asked. The last thing I wanted to do was tell Bones. He didn't trust Tate and he couldn't even stand to be in the same room with Term. This was going to interesting.

"Secret." He agreed.

As we walked out Tate called out, "Better tell him by Thanksgiving."

The problem was that there were 5 more people that we couldn't keep it from. I really didn't need Bones or anyone to know right away. I needed to deal with it for the present. Thanksgiving was in 3 weeks. Things could wait until later.

"I won't shift until you want them to know." We had just gotten off the helicopter when he spoke for the first time since we had left the office.

"Thank you."

"How do you feel?"

"Sick. Like I was 3 hours ago. I'm going back to bed." I knew that wasn't what he meant, but I needed to sleep. We could talk about it tomorrow


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Term_

_Days from hell, parties too_

"You're still not shifting? You need to. You can't do this." Regulous paced in front of me as I sat in the office. It had been like this every morning for three weeks now.

Rose was still in bed. She needed to sleep a lot lately. Tate said it was because her body was adjusting to the baby, she needed time. We all did and I was trying to buy as much of it as possible.

"It doesn't matter what your hiding. We need you. You're the Alpha." He continued.

"I made a promise." I spoke into my hands. My urge to shift had grown heavy with the problems growing around us. Johan's men were in the area making things worse. While Rose lay in bed all morning long, carrying my child. A child that we still didn't know would turn out okay. It had a mixture of DNA that had never been encountered. My alpha was on overdrive he needed to protect.

"What are you hiding for this vampire of yours?" He leaned over the desk to say it to me. Big mistake.

"Vampire?" I slammed his head into the desk. Rose wasn't just a vampire. She was the mother of my child. The next Alpha.

"What the fuck, Man?" He grabbed his nose and straitened his body. Blood was heavy in his hand.

"I'm still Alpha and you will not insult Rose."

"She didn't want you to shift! Jody almost died yesterday. Today is Thanksgiving. We need your help, you know where to go, you give us direction." Grabbing some tissue, he sat down in the chair across from me.

"What happened to Jody?"

"See! You've never been this far from us, even when you were miles away. Lately your constantly with _her_ horded up in that room. You aren't shifting. We all know how tight your wound right now. What's going on?"

"What happened to _Jody_?" He wasn't telling me a thing. I needed to know before I made my call.

"Shift and find out."

I stormed out of the office. Before I could even think I was out on the lawn and I had shifted.

I saw in everyone's thoughts what had happened yesterday. It wasn't a vampire, but it was nearly as strong. A flesh eater, like Rose's friend Dave. They had gotten him, but believed there were more in the area.

Seeing their thoughts also allowed them to see mine. To feel how I felt, which made my pain even worse. Not just as their alpha, but as a brother, as a loved one, as a father.

"_Term I-" _Regulous started in.

"_Enough. No apologies, no remorse. We need to go back to that clearing, snoop around and find out what they have planned."_

I could feel Courtney's anger, frustration and concern, not only directed at me, but at Rose as well. She thought that they had grown close in the past weeks. She even looked forward to having her in the family.

"_The baby is fine. Let's go." _We bounded out, all fear and anxiety put aside.

_Rose_

I was finally able to get around without the frequent runs to the bathroom to vomit. I was still getting sick, but it had become more spaced apart, mostly when I ate something that the baby didn't seem to like.

When I walked out of the bedroom that early afternoon I made my way down into the kitchen where the aroma of turkey wafted out.

"Tired?" Courtney sat at the table with a bag in front of her, she seemed to be waiting for me as she drank her coffee.

"Yeah. I didn't sleep too well last night." _Not with all the vomiting._ I mentally added.

"You know, we had to shift this morning. Term did too." She glanced at me as she moved to the sink to clean her mug out. We had agreed during the first week here to give the maids less to do, since we were stuck here anyway.

"Oh," I could just imagine what she knew. What _everyone_ knew. I wasn't going to deny it, but I wasn't going to come right out with it.

"Why did they have to shift? When?" I asked.

"This morning, they noticed that something was off yesterday when they did their run. We think it was an unknown, just passing through. When we got back the guys went strait to the library, they've been there since. Vlad's been doing some rounds to see if he could find anything. I went shopping, do you know how hard it is to find an open store on Thanksgiving?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

She looked me up and down. "I got you a dress to wear for tonight. It'll cover everything. I suspected that you were with all the baggy clothes now, but didn't know for certain. Now I do."

Looking down, I noticed the small lump that had formed on my stomach. It hadn't been there that long, only a week, but it was getting larger.

"It's okay you know. We were just caught off guard. We got over it quickly. Now all of us are actually looking forward to it with obvious concern."

"You are?"

"Your baby will head our line in the future. We worry that it won't be able to shift, but we need to wait it out. Even if it doesn't it's still a child and still part of our family. Term didn't shift till he was 7 anyway." She giggled and started to whisper, "Late bloomer, you know?"

"I thought that Regulous would take over."

"No, this generation is Term. If something where to happen to Term, Heaven forbid," She knocked on a wooden chair. "Regulous would step up, but only until a child from the line could take his place as the true Alpha. If Term wasn't going to have a child it would be his first born niece or nephew."

"You're serious." I could feel that my eyes had bugged out.

"Of course I am. Every generation has a born leader. Term is it. His first child will be it as well." She shrugged as if this were public knowledge.

I could feel Term enter the room before I turned to look at him. My eyes still wide.

"Are you ready for the party tonight? Courtney got you a dress." He chimed putting his arms around me happily.

"She did and I know it's going to be great. I'll go shower and get ready." I moved away from his grasp as soon as I could. Anger building with the fact that he hadn't told me such a critical thing.

"You want me to come?" Term asked.

"No," I shot him a look. "But if Courtney could?"

"Of course." She giggled again as we turned the corner and went to get ready.

_Term_

I stood in front of the steps waiting for Rose to come down. She hadn't seemed too happy with me when I had gone up to get dressed. She actually hadn't said a word to me all afternoon. Courtney said that it wasn't because they knew, but she couldn't tell me anymore about it.

When she descended the stairs I took her all in inch by inch. She had low healed Mary-Janes on with a short brown halter dress that sagged just right around her chest and stomach. She looked thinner now, but you couldn't see her stomach the way the dress draped. Her hair was thrown back so her loose curls could flow around her neck and shoulders seductively.

"You look amazing." I leaned in to kiss her. She stood there and accepted it, but didn't seem too overwhelmed to return the gesture, "Still cold?"

She turned her head slowly to look me as much in the eye as she could, "Ice."

"What did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do, Term. You need to tell me things. You want me to open up to you, but you leave me in the dark here, _Alpha_." I glanced at Courtney who now looked remorseful. I knew at that moment what had been discussed.

"I'm the Alapha. I have obligations to live up to. My child will as well. If that's what this about."

"Obviously that's what it's about. All that I ask is that we discuss this and now is not the time."

"I don't want you angry with me all night."

"I'm getting over it, but my parents are coming up the drive with my grandmother. Mencheres and Kira are behind them."

"Later."

"Later." She nodded and swung the door open, pasting a smile on her face for her parents as they pulled up the drive. I could feel a strong hum in the air and since Bones and Mencheres hadn't made it fully up the drive yet I turned to Rose.

"_Are you using?" _

"Absolutely, so don't push it." That was the last thing she said before her parents pulled up. She wouldn't look at me anymore. She was pissed.

We started with some appetizers and dancing. Everyone got along great. More people showed as the night grew later. We had, of course, Bones and Cat there, along with Mencheres and Kira, Cat's mom was something all in her own. I knew why Cat drank so much. About 20 minutes after they showed up the guys from the base came, Tate and Dave the ghoul piled in with Juan. Last to show was a vampire named Spade and his wife Denise, who was a demon. With us shifters there it was definitely a supernatural circus. Dinner would be very interesting.

_Rose_

We were all at the dinner table everyone enjoying their feast, from the vampires with their mugs, to the ghouls with their fleshy bits of things I hoped weren't human and the Demons and shifters shoveling their Turkey dinner in, everyone was truly happy. I even had my cupped blood and turkey dinner in front of me. I think I even saw a smile or two come from Vlad's direction as we all joked.

That's when it happened. That feel of bile climbing my esophagus again. I was going to throw up. I needed to excuse myself without a scene. I needed to get to the bathroom. I didn't have time. I had to get there, _now._

"Rose!" Term stood with me as I rose and ran to the bathroom.

I heard my grandmother's faint voice asking behind me, "She's been sick?"

There was a scuffling sound behind me as I heard Bones yell, "BLEEDING BASTARD!" Someone slammed into the wall next to me as I ran through the doorway. I couldn't stop to see, but I could feel the near full powers of both Vampire and shifter.

"Wow. What the fuck?" Someone shouted as more noises sounded around me. Lots of swearing. Lots of yelling. Growling and hissing. People were furious.

Once there I leaned over the toilet and it all came out. Every meal I'd eaten all day long had finally decided to show again.

"Rose?" Term huddled next to me, holding me from behind.

"I'll be fine, I just need a minute to sit still." I sat back against the wall putting my hands out in front of me. Watching them shake. _They're still there._

I didn't notice right away but I could feel _more _sets of feet on the floor around me. How many people could fit in this bathroom?

"Seriously, does _everyone_ need to be in here?" I asked coolly.

"Oh, Lord. Please tell me she isn't pregnant?" I heard my grandmother in the background again. She must have been in the doorway. Bones growled again, somewhere outside of the room.

"Don't. Stop it, all of you." The voice of reason was my mother, as she spoke quietly.

When I was finally able to look up I realized that Term's brothers, as well as Spade, Juan and Dave, were standing between Term and Bones. I realized then that it had been Term who had been slammed into the wall. He and his brothers now with full, deeply coated amber eyes took up most of my bathroom.

"How long have you been sick?" Cat leaned over me protectively, stroking my forehead. Jean crouched next to her.

"Three weeks. About." No need to go into heavy detail.

"Okay, we need to get you up and moving, Dear. I think the living room would be a nice place to have this conversation." Jean spoke. I could just feel her stare boring into everyone as a warning. They seemed all business as Cat fallowed her lead and lifted me, sitting me on the living room sofa and kneeling in front of me she looked into my eyes, searching.

Term stood at the end of the sofa next to where I sat, he was fully ready to fight. As his brothers were flanked behind him, oldest to youngest.

"Is it possible?" Cat turned to look at Mencheres.

"It's more than likely that it could happen, if precautions weren't taken." He replied.

"More likely you knew too, Mate?" Bones looked to him in pure anger.

"I knew something of it, yes. You and I both know that I do not see in wholes, Bones." He glanced at everyone as he spoke.

"Bloody! Fucking! Hell!" Bones started to pace, shaking his head.

"Now, Crispin. We need to know when it could have happened and if she even _is_." Spade spoke as he stood in front of Bones, stopping his frantic pace.

"I _am_."

"You knew." I could see the heartbreak in her eyes. I had hurt my mother by not telling her.

"Yes." Term spoke, "We've known for 3 weeks. She's being monitored closely. We go back in on Monday morning."

"What are you talking about? You can't go to a regular Dr. for a child of this nature, Rose." My grandmother spat.

"I know that." I didn't want to give Tate away, but there it was, put in black and white. If I wasn't going to a normal Dr. I was going to the base.

"Then where?-" Cat started to ask as all heads suddenly turned to Tate, who had his hands up in surrender as Bones railed into him, slamming back into the wall breaking halfway through it before he was held back by the invisible coil Mencheres cast.

"Put me down." He griped.

"Calm down. We will need him for the next four months at least. You can kill him then if you choose." Mencheres spoke patiently before letting Bones down.

"Four months left?" Cat asked.

"Due in four months? How did you just find out recently?" Jean looked as hurt as Cat did. They weren't angry, but truly hurt.

"My pregnancy for both kids was accelerated due to the vampire jean. My birth was too, I don't understand why it would be four months. Are you sure?" She turned to Mencheres for the last part.

He nodded in return, tapping his temple.

"A shifter pregnancy is almost a full year. 11 months." Jean spoke.

"It could be evening things out. Like negative and positive denominators. The best of both worlds." Denise added quietly.

"That's what we thought. We've been running blood samples through our lab weekly."

"What if it doesn't heal like Rose does? It was hard enough to keep her alive. Look at the wholly good that did…" Bones looked to the ground, eyes brown once again, but still swirling with green.

"She's here isn't she?" Term asked. "We've kept her alive."

Bones threw out in a growl in Term's direction.

"You have no idea how hard it was young man." My grandmother spoke in angered tones to Term. "How hard it was on Cat and Bones. When the kids were little. Even now people come after her! We've all tried to hide her identity, by keeping her away from our world. She ended up mixed in all of this anyway! We _all_ missed out on her childhood-"

"We hurt you, trying to protect you. Is that what you are willing to do for this child? Knowing what you grew up with and knowing that you could have had more?" Vlad spoke to me as though he were the only rational one here tonight.

"We can protect her and the baby!" Jody spoke from behind me. Putting his hand on my shoulder, "That's what we do, we protect our own. She has us here."

"You have no idea of how bloody hard it was to protect her." Spade threw in. "Most of us in this room were at her birth. We have gone to wars over her. Are you willing to do that?"

"She is my mate. I would die for her." Termm glared around the room. "My shifters will as well."

"You don't know the weight of your words young man." Kira spoke. "Do you know what your saying?"

"I speak for my shifters. I know all too well what I say." Term ground out.

"Stop." I could finally speak. Term had given me the courage, "Stop with the arguments. Stop with the yelling and accusations. I'm finished being sick. I'm fine. Let's finish eating!"

"That bit will be part of my line as well. You need to start talking, forget about food for now." Bones spat.

"Our line too. It will be the next in line for Alpha," Term held his head up high. "We've told you all we know. _Rose_ wants to eat. Since she's eating for two I suggest we let her."

Bones had started to growl again. Spade now standing behind him.

"Just stop it, all of you." I stood, looking between Term and my father with a glare of anger. "Everyone go back to enjoying your dinner and enjoy the evening! We're done here!"

No one moved. Everyone stood around glaring at each other, watching for the first move.

"NOW!" I yelled and people sprung into action. Everyone moved back their seats at the table. Term stood close to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked pulling me into a hug.

"I will be. You know, I've _never_ heard my grandmother stick up for my father. She must really hate you."

"Thanks, Babe." He rolled his eyes.

"Welcome." I leaned in for a kiss. I think this meeting had made me feel better about the whole Alpha thing.

_Term_

I watched her as she slept that night. She had been so sick the past 3 weeks that I was scared for her. How long would she be sick? Her weight loss was getting out of hand.

It was hard to believe that just hours ago she was trying to calm down a room of both shifters and vampires. She looked so peaceful now. She was a tuff little thing.

She slept naked under my gaze. She was on her side with her arm slung over her breasts and one of her legs was curled up toward her stomach. The position showed every curve of her body. Her stomach was rounded. There was a definite bump there now, it was fuller than it had been recently. I wasn't sure how the baby was growing and she was loosing weight. Tate had assured us that they both were in perfect health. Which had calmed me some.

My hand slowly reached out to her stomach. I didn't really know what I was doing until I had done it. Her round stomach seemed so small and soft under my hand. That baby in there was mine. She was carrying my child. I couldn't describe the feeling that came to me. She was going to have my child. She had never asked for anything from me, but to love her and she was giving me the gift of a lifetime. One that I couldn't ever repay.

"Getting a quick baby feel?" She caught me off guard as she peeked out of one heavy eyelid and smiled lightly.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." I started to move my hand away, but she stopped me, by putting her hand over mine.

"It's okay, it is yours." She looked so happy as she held my hand to her. I had never seen her in such a light. Her skin glistened in the dark as her hair a rich mass of deep brown, tangled around her. Her eyes shined silver in the light. She was beautiful.

"I was just thinking about that, actually." I relished the thought. "You're showing." I pointed out.

"Yeah. It was like it happened over night." She smiled looking up at me. "Why the ocher eyes there, Casanova?"

"I think there's something about the pregnant woman next to me that really turns me on." I nodded my head slowly, eyes widening. There was definitely something about the woman who carried my child that turned me on.

"Oh no! Does this mean I have to fight you off with a stick?" She giggled as I sprawled lengthwise next to her, pulling her closer.

"I might chase it." I wagged my eyebrows and kissed her through her giggles.

"So this does it for you? The fact that I'm growing a basketball?" She jokingly glared at me. Hand on her stomach.

"Well, the fact that I love you and your making the ultimate gesture for me play pretty big rolls in the seduction by a pregnant woman. I think I've fallen victim." I sighed.

"Who's seducing who here? I was just sleeping. Now if you excuse me, I'm going back to sleep." She giggled again, rolling over in little intervals since I still held her.

"No, your not." I whispered in her ear and slipped my hand down the bump of her stomach and sliding it between her thighs. A bitter sweet moan escaped her.

"Marry me, Rose." I sighed in her ear. I had wanted this for a while now. I even had the ring. I loved her and knew I wasn't going anywhere. She was what I wanted. I couldn't live without her.

"Marry me." I cooed again when she didn't reply.

"Are you just saying that to get me into bed?" She rolled partially over to see if I was serious.

"You're already in bed with me, I'm going to have you anyway." I shrugged. "I'm saying it because I love you deeply and passionately and want you to marry me. Will you?"

"Yes." She nodded, putting her arms around my neck as I moved to huddle over her. "Yes."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Rose

"Rose," Tate moved over in my direction quickly, I barely noticed the move before he stood next to me.

"Can't you see that I'm in the middle of something?" I had been training again and loving it. It helped me get out the frustration of not being able to do much of anything else. Most of my time was spent at the house, under lock and key, so Term agreed to let me spend some extra time at the base.

"Rose! We've found him!" He started to shake me from the shoulders.

"Where are my parents?" If Marcus was found we could get him out. He could come home.

"They're on their way. Their collecting Mencheres and Spade. Vlad just left the house." He looked me up and down with a pained look on his face, "You need to get ready. We need you."

I could see his dilemma. I was obviously pregnant. I wasn't huge, but I was rounded enough that I needed to make sure that my clothes covered me. My fatigues might not fit so well. I might have to go into a home where the vampire wanted just that from me and to do it unprotect would be saying come and get me fangy boy!

Tate's problem was that he needed me for this, but morally wanted to leave me out. They needed me to listen in on the supernatural in the house and find out where they had Marcus stashed. It was no doubt a large home, vampires had unlimited funds and loved to lavish in it. It comes with the age. The team needed me for this.

I nodded.

"You just go in and listen. We do everything else. Vlad and Mencheres will stand your guard." He looked me in the eyes to make sure I fully understood.

"Yes, let me change and I want maps and satellites' of the property ready when Cat and Bones get here." I had no intention of sitting back and letting them do it all, but I would let Tate think that I did. "When they get here we'll go over everything."

Two tedious hours later we were all bent over my desk. Maps and aerial photos flanked it, "There will be people here, here, here and here." I pointed out the main guard points. There were four. He was covering his ass well.

"Those sods will be easy to kill. It's once we're in, Princess. I'm not worried." I looked up to see Bones watching me with anger and determination clouding his vision.

"If we can get Marcus out, without killing any of them, it would be the best option." Mencheres didn't even bother to look at the map. "It would prevent a war between our people and his."

"I am not looking to prevent a war, Mencheres! I want my son back into safe hands!" Cat glared up at Mencheres from the maps, "Did we forget the whole purpose that he wanted Marcus? He wanted to get to Rose. She's the more vulnerable one out of the two."

"I am not!" I hissed.

"Rose-" Spade cut Cat off before she could slip with anymore of her verbal diarrhea.

"I have to say, Sire, I'm on Crispin's side." He was quiet, but had solid purpose in his words. "His intent had been to get Rose. To change her, against her will and use her as a pawn in his own game. He knew that not only would her power strengthen as Cat's did, but she could conceive. He wanted not only her body, her soul. We all agree from past experiences that no man with such a thought should be left standing. He has had Marcus for 2 years now. We can't condone that. We need to get him out at whatever the cost."

"War it is then." Mencheres gave up his argument. "I will freeze the guards so we can get in unnoticed. You do what you will once we are in. I am here to protect Rosamond, as requested."

"They kidnapped your co-rulers son and you are planning to let them walk." Vlad scoffed. "He was of your line."

I could feel the power and anger flowing around the room it was harsh and bitterly angry. I let my power flow throughout the room reaching out my senses.

I reached for Mencheres' thoughts first and they hit me like a brick.

"War. You've seen a battle that your trying to prevent. Why?" I glared incredulously.

"Rose, you should not even be thinking about entering this home. If Termulous-" I cut him off, my voice more harsh than normal.

"No! You listen to me now! EVERYONE!" The thoughts floating around me were nearly too much to take, they all feared my child's safety, my safety, mixed with the building adrenaline from finding Marcus it was a steady stream of fear, anger and regret. "We are going in to get Marcus. We will do what we need for survival. If my baby was meant to be born in the middle of a war, then so be it. We will be getting my brother back… Tonight! Understood?"

"We? You don't even have a vest." Cat noticed at that moment, "You can't go in without one. It isn't safe."

"They don't fit, I tried." I glanced down at my black tank that tugged at the seems around the swell of my stomach. She was right, without a vest I was fully exposed to the dangers around me. There was nothing that I could do about it though. I had even tried Tates vest and it didn't cover me well.

"She will have Mencheres at her front and I at her back. No one will touch one hair on that child's head, Cat." Vlad nodded.

Cat's eyes grew wide, "Term doesn't know about this does he, Rose? He didn't even know that you were doing the trainings. He thought you had a desk job here."

"He doesn't need to know until it's over. We have enforcements from the team. With all our powers it's just a backup." All of the thoughts of further worry swam around me. "Now, how are we going to hide all of the energy?"

We admired Mencheres once again, as the four front guards floated 20 feet in the air above us and we were able to slide through with ease. It was too much ease to make me feel comfortable though. He had cloaked our powers so that no one could identify them so easily.

"Johan isn't here. They're preparing for his arrival home." I whispered to Bones ahead. Who was standing underneath a window to the sitting room.

He turned and nodded, "All the easier, princess. Have you heard from Marcus yet?"

I filtered through the mental ramblings of the vampires inside and found the fear and anger that made up my brother's thoughts. He was their guinea pig. They had him strapped to a bed with iv's in his arms. He had no idea what for. Only I could guess. We had Mencheres's blood running through us as our father did being his co-ruler. The blood was powerful. They were tapping him dry.

"There are about 7 vamps and 2 ghouls in the house. Most of them travel with him. I can sense Marcus. He's there. I just don't know where." I tried to tretch to find out where. He didn't even know.

"We need to make a move, Crispin." Spade grabbed my arm and started to tug me toward Bones.

"How?"

"I know." I looked to the men at my sides, then upon my mother's eyes. She seemed cool and calm on the outside, but she knew what could happen. Her mental ramblings weren't helping me. "I'll go up and knock on the door."

"You twee-" Bones started to snap.

"With Vlad, Mencheres and the element of surprise I don't need to worry. You guys can flank behind us." I shook my head at everyone's visual images of a quick death as soon as that door opened. "I need to find out where he is! Then someone can go after him and they can keep me safe. We need to do this now, while he isn't here!"

I moved swiftly to the door. Everyone was flanked behind me. Looking into all of their thoughts I didn't need to view their faces, I knew that the adrenalin was building heavily and everyone was green-eyed. I knocked on the door.

Adrenaline and power ran through the door as the Vampire slowly opened it. He looked from me to everyone flanked behind me. Taking in all of our faces he knew why we were here.

"_It's true." _He thought, _"She really exists."_

"Honey, it is true." Responding to his mental ramblings, my eyes shown green in his mind. "Where is my brother?"

"How did you get passed the guards?" He reached behind him to grab some form of weapon as Bones squeezed in at my side to hold him. He was quick, but Bones was quicker.

"Don't bother with that, Mate. Why don't you just tell me where my son is?"

He knew who we were and why we were there. As he took it all in suddenly his thoughts swam through a kitchen, up some stairs and down a hallway. He didn't know which door, but he assumed it was one of the industrial ones at the end.

Glancing past him I looked into house, it was huge, of course. This was going to take a few minutes.

"Bones, through the kitchen, take the steps that lead to a long hallway. Bring your toys, Tate it's industrial." My words were rushed. We needed to get out as quick as possible. Bones wavered a second then moved taking Spade and Tate with him.

"You are making a big mistake miss, coming in here with all of your friends won't stop Johan from getting what he wants. It will provoke him even more. He likes the fight." I could see his thoughts wavering to get help or to take us on his own.

The fighting began, with the man that had answered the door and moved fast from that point as more people came out from different directions. Mencheres stood in front of me and pushed people aside with his mental force field around us. While Vlad started to flame my mother began to fight the oncoming herd. She was amazingly beautiful as she fought. Like a warrior. I knew that I never looked that good in a throw down.

I closed my eyes and listened to all of the thoughts swimming around me. Everyone was trying to get to me, they wanted to keep me there, until their Master arrived. They wanted him to see me in this state. He would be there in minutes with backup. Backup? He knew?

"Vlad! He knows we're here!"

"What?"

"He knows. He knew we were coming. He has back up! Bones needs to hurry!"

I watched as Cat belted a male with a throwing star. Her aim was unparalleled. No one could be that good of an aim. Vlad ran up to her, twirling her around.

"You heard the girl! He knows we're here! Go and get your street urchin! Fly!" As he ordered Cat ran.

Two more came out of the drawing room, Vlad set flame to one while Mencheres tossed the other back, literally into the wall.

"Call now, Rose. He is coming." Mencheres spoke.

"They aren't back yet!"

"Call, you fool child!" Vlad shouted while bluntly elbowing a ghoul in the face.

"I can't leave him behind again." I listened for Marcus. He was with Bones now and getting healed before they came down. I pressed the button on speed dial. That would have the rest of the team here with a copter in minutes.

"Mencheres!" As Cat yelled from the kitchen entry the doors behind us burst open and I heard minor thoughts until they were cut off by the piercing scream. My scream. I suddenly felt a razor-sharp pain from my right arm that shot down to my ribcage.

An unfamiliar voice yelled, "I said no weapons, Damnit!"

I was unexpectedly airborne with 5 other vampires around me. Mencheres held me tightly while all of the other vampires encircled us. I was still screaming from the pain. I could barely hear what was being said around me.

"What the bloody hell was that, Crispin?" Spade asked.

"Silver in liquid form." Cat was the one to answer.

"From the base's arsenal?" Bones turned on her.

"We need to heal her." Mencheres shifted me in his arms.

Everything went black.

When I came to again the first thing that I noted was the heavy thumping of the copter's wings. I was safe. I was heading back to the base.

"Never again, Rose." A heavenly voice came to me.

"Marcus?"

"It's me. Damn chick, you've gone wonky! Whaty the hell were you thinking?"

"Stop quoting _him_." I glared at Bones, who was actually the firt one I saw when I opened my eyes. The second was Marcus in the corner getting bagged blood and iv's pumped into him. He was even drinking it strait from the bag.

"Let's get out of the trouble zone fist, then you can complain about Bones." Cat rolled her eyes and continued on.

"We're still in the radius?" I shot up as no pain radiated at all. I had been healed. That's probably why Bones was leaning over me.

"Relax, Princess. We only have another minute."

I looked down at my arm and side. It was fully healed, but blood saturated my clothes. My stomach suddenly felt queasy.

"That hurt hell." The adrenaline and blood had caught up to me just as fast as it had all happened. I vomited the blood I had been given to heal.

"My blood worked alright, but it made her sick."

"You think?" I heaved again.

"Rose, how could you be so stupid?" Marc moved to sit next to me, pulling his iv with him. His large brown eyes watched me as his forehead creased. "Your pregnant."

"Had. To. Save. You." I heaved. Vomiting.

My phone started to vibrate and in the midst of everything around me I pulled it out and chanced a look. Term. It was Term and I couldn't pick up. He would be able to hear the copter in the background. I pressed the silence button to send him to voicemail.

After he left a message I looked at my phone again.

"He's called 17 times in the past 30 minutes. How could I miss that?"

"You were out cold." Cat shrugged.

"He knows." I mumbled. There was no way that I was going to listen to all those messages he had left me.

"You think so?" Bone's cocked a brow at me.

"Lye down and rest, Sis. You need it."

I decided to go home on my own. Knowing Term would be livid. There was no way that my actions had gone unnoticed when I hadn't come home at 5pm he lost it, it was now 3 am.

When I walked in to the house seven sets of angry eyes watched me. Term was standing in the entry. The deadly stare he gave me was truly that. He was NOT happy. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and his body rolled in tremors. He looked as though he would have killed me if I wasn't pregnant.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He yelled.

"I helped get my brother out, everything is fine." I kicked off my shoes and dropped my purse on the floor.

"You went _in _there and pulled him out!" He advanced toward me with a predatory look in his eyes. "YOU!"

"I had Vlad and Mencheres protecting me. I didn't fight!" I couldn't bring myself to meet his deadly glower.

"Do you have any idea what you put me through?" His voice became cold steel.

"Term, it's my job."

"Don't talk to me about jobs, Rose! I'm Alpha and you are the only one who doesn't understand that! Paperwork? You told me you were doing paperwork!" He backed me against the wall. I actually felt weak and powerless for the first time in my life. I felt human as I cowered under his stare.

"I am not one of your wolves. I don't answer to you." As soon as the words came out of my mouth one of his hands moved up and gripped the shirt around my stomach so tightly that I could feel his fist pressed against the taught skin. He shook it as he yelled.

"As long as your pregnant with _my _child you answer to _me_, Rose! _Me! _That's my baby! Part of my line!"

"Mine too!" At that comment he put his fist into the wall, next to my head. I started to cry.

"Whoa-whoa, Man! Calm down," Regulous grabbed him and pulled him back calmly.

The other 4 brothers and Courtney stood between the two of us as Term started to pace in the entryway. "That was uncalled for." I didn't deserve that. I was terrified of him at this moment. He could physically hurt me just as much as any vampire could. The worst part was that I loved him and with the physical pain would come the mental.

"Really? Really?" He shouted and tried to get into my face, but was held back. "What's uncalled for, ROSE, is the fact you keep endangering your life and this time you did it while you were carrying _my_ child. Our _whole_ future as a pack!"

"I was never in any danger." I lied. I had changed my clothes, so he wouldn't know.

"You could have been! Then what? Huh? No you! No baby! I would loose it all at once, Rose! My whole family in one shot! Just one!" He held up a single shaking finger as he screamed at me.

"I'm sorry." Reality suddenly hit me. He was right, he could have lost us. Both of us.

"It doesn't matter now, Rose! The damage is done! You don't think of anyone's feelings, _especially mine_. Tell me why I should think of yours right now?"

"I love you ,Term." I spoke quietly. As the tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Apparently not enough!" He turned his gaze to the floor, his voice quieting. "You have your family back now, you have what you wanted. You obviously don't need our protection anymore. We're leaving. Pack, it was an order!" He walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

"No!" Courney looked around and started to cry. "He can't mean it. What about Rose? The baby?"

"I'll go talk to him. He needs to cool down." Regulus fallowed Term's direction.

_Term_

Running from the house, I shifted. I had to hold it back in the house around Rose. I could have killed her if I had. I couldn't help the tremors that had run through my body as my anger built. The only thing that kept me calm was the fact that she was afraid. Afraid of me.

The fear was that I felt I was going to hurt her, it resonated in her eyes. Her face burned in my mind as I ran. I had terrified her. She was scared, _of me. _The man that loved her.

I could feel Reggie shift as I saw his last view of Rose. She had curled herself against the wall as she sunk down to the floor crying. Reggie had been the only one to shift. He was determined stop me.

"_You can't do this, Term! She needs you!"_

"_I gave an order! Where are they?"_

"_You need to go back to your pregnant fiancé. I know you hurt her and you hate that, but you need to come back for her." _

"_You are not fallowing my orders!"_

"_Fuck your orders, Term! I know your hurt, I can feel your anger, but don't take it out on her. Not now! She's having your baby. You need to be there for her!"_

"_I almost hit her! She was terrified!"_

"_But you didn't. You were able to control yourself, which is more than I could say if I was in that situation."_

"_I could have shifted and hurt her. It's time to go! Get the pack and get home!"_

"_How do you expect we will get home?"_

"_Run!"_

_A growl escaped him. "I can't believe your doing this to her! You still love her!"_

"_Stay out of my head and get the pack! We. Are. Leaving!"_

"_Bullshit! What about Mom?" _I saw the hope in his thoughts, the hope that was shattered when he realized my resolve.

"_Mom is not in my pack. She will do as she chooses. Get the pack and head out. NOW!"_

He howled and watched as the other 5 came out to the large porch. The pain filled him as he could still hear Rose in the house crying. It was written over their faces, they didn't want to come.

She needed time, we all needed time. _"I will come back when the baby is due."_

"_It doesn't matter, your leaving her now, when she needs you the most." _He began to run. _"She won't take you back after this."_

As everyone shifted I could feel their hurt and rage. Their compassion for her. Their hatred and disgust for me grew heavily as the minutes passed.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry it took so long to get this out... Morning sickness is horrible... As is my editing right now, so I hope it's okay.

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Chapter 13

Rose

People were whispering as I made my way into the kitchen. They couldn't feel my presence now. I hid my vampire in my deepest closet. It had lost me the man I loved. The father of my unborn child. I was done with it.

"How is she doing?" Spade asked.

"How do you think? She hasn't come down in days. She won't even let _me_ in." Marcus' voice seemed deepened by anger. "All she does is cry. She won't eat. She won't feed and she tosses and turns all night long."

"I should have killed the bloody wanker when I-" Bones was cut of by Marcus' surprised, "Rose." As he sat up strait in his chair.

"Go ahead! Keep talking about me. I'm not even here." I mumbled and moved to the cupboard to find some cereal. I poured a bowl, then grabbed a spoon and some milk. I sat at the table before I looked around and noticed all eyes were on me.

"What?"

"The first thing you eat in nearly a week is Cookie Crisp cereal?" Marcus looked at me in surprise.

"Pregnant." I raised my hand to make my point and pushed back the tears that wanted to stream out again_. I was pregnant and he still didn't have the heart to stay. To be with me._

"Mira snuck me up some food two days ago when she got here." I needed Mira. She might have come to be with my brother, but she was still my best friend. She didn't have to talk to be near me and she knew from personal experience not to even try. She had come up as soon as she had arrived at the house. Having heard of my matters, she brought a girls' breakup survival kit. With sappy movies to cry to, happy movies to hate the people in them and horror movies for when you hit the murderous stages of your breakup. Plus, with every girl's breakup kit comes junk food galore. I was just tired of eating Skittles, Milk Duds, Kit Kats, Already popped popcorn and M&Ms. I wanted something healthier.

"How are you feeling?" Bones was at my side. A concerned look in his eyes.

"Jesus, Man! Haven't you ever been through a breakup? Back off!" I started to tear. No. He hadn't, not to this magnitude. Term had left me, pregnant with his child. In the home were it was conceived. I didn't now when, or if he was coming back. What if I had to raise our child on my own? What if he didn't care enough to come back? I had given him my heart and soul and he wanted more. More than I could give him. If I could have only trusted him he wouldn't have left. He wouldn't have given up on us so easily.

"Rose, we should work on some music. Like we used to. You should see what I've done to the place." Marc must have felt my anguish in the air. One of his gifts was feeling out other's emotions and he always knew how to calm me. He had to have been talking about our large empty room in the basement where we used to pretend to sing and dance. I was suddenly intrigued. Now was the best time for me to write. I had so many built up frustrations that I needed to get them out.

"It could help the situation and it would be nice to have some time with you. Without the bullshit floating through the air."

"Yeah, let me shower and I'll be down." I grabbed my bowl of cereal with the box, just incase I wanted more. I hadn't showered since that night. It was time. I missed his woodsy scent that had surrounded me for the past several months. He had always smelled so good, it was sad to wash away the scent, but I was beginning to smell.

When I went down to the large room that Marcus and I had spent time in as children, I didn't recognize it as the secluded space any longer. It was set up like my little recoding room back home. He had a couch and some chairs, with a studio microphone. 2 guitars a piano and a recording and dubbing table. He sat in a comfy looking leather chair in front of the dubbing table.

"Where did you get all this?" I asked in awe.

"Mom and Dad?" He smiled, "_Dad_ gave me the money and I bought it all yesterday."

"Dad." I gave a dry humph.

"I take it you're not too happy about the whole 'Mom and Dad' thing?" He smiled widely.

"Aren't there other things you want to talk about?"

"I was locked up for two years and, come to find out, they are still alive like I had always believed. Give me _something_ here."

"They're alive. You knew. Cat's great. Bones I can't deal with. He's an ass with his, 'Not my bloody daughter.' and 'Oh, Princess...'" I put on my best English accent before I looked to him pointedly. " You always knew they were coming back. You knew everything."

"I just didn't know that it would take me to get kidnapped for them to do something. If I had known, I would have gotten it over with years ago." He pointed to his head. "My visions don't work well, Rose. They are third hand. Not like yours."

"Thank Mencheres for that one. I hate him every goddamn day." I rolled my eyes. I didn't like the man, even though he had my back so many times that I couldn't count, he still freaked me out. He had too much power and I didn't want to be there when his rubber band snapped.

"He shared his power with Bones, then Bones shared his power with us. Unknowingly as it was, we're stuck with them. I know, it's crap." He rolled his eyes showing his fake disinterest. We both knew that he thrived after this sort of thing. It was kind of like watching a little boy with his very first Beebe gun. Nervous and not knowing what to expect, but still excited nonetheless.

"Weird huh?" I felt my stomach as the baby kicked. It had been active the past two days, which was another reason I needed distractions. Every time I calmed down the baby went wild, reminding me of another reason to be sad.

"Very." His eyes moved to my stomach. "So, do you want to talk about my niece and why I don't get to meet her father, or are we singing?"

"Niece?" I felt a twinge of love spike out and around me. _A girl. My daughter. _Then the heartbreak came like a wave. Would she look like _him_? Would he even want to see her? I gasped, pushing the tears back. Trying to turn them into anger. "Don't want to talk about it."

"Singing it is." He motioned to the piano.

"Is it really good to have her up all night?" Mira's voice sounded through the headphones, into the hallway where her and Marcus stood to debate the subject. The subject being me. The door was left ajar and I could hear everything loud and clear.

"We all know she hasn't slept anyway. She's content now. She might even sleep later. Just let us finish this one song." I was getting tired. I had put my emotions into three songs and was about record the third and final song when she came down to find us.

"I want to see my friend too, you know. She just came out of her mental coma-"

"Mir, I know it's a girl code thing and as soon as I'm finished abusing her, you can come and swoop her away." I could tell by the sounds that they were embracing each other.

_One couple reunited while one fell apart. _I mentally scoffed. I honestly just wanted to be alone to suffer. No one around me. I knew now what I had to do. Where was Vlad?

"Rose?" Marcus stood over me in a flash. If I weren't half vampire as well it would have scared me. He had an anxious look on his face as he whispered. "I just came back, Rose, don't leave me here with all this."

"That still creeps me out how you see things like that!" I started to tear again. He had just come back to us and now I had decided that I needed to leave. I needed to get away from him, From Cat, Bones, Tate and the wolves. I needed to disappear to get things out. I needed to be alone to figure out my life. To think about things. To mill over my frustrations. "I need to."

"I'll get him."

Minutes later Vlad came down, Cat and Bones flanked behind him. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"Alone." I gave pointed glances at his followers.

"I have tried. They fallow." He sighed and turned to look at them. I thought I heard Bones snarl. "Like lost hounds."

"What is so important that I was summoned?" He stepped in closing the door tightly behind him as Bones started to protest.

"My mother trusts you." I squinted my eyes at him. "She said that she stayed with you a couple of times years ago. For a price. I can't give you the price now, but once the baby is born I can give you all the blood you want."

"I would charge you no price, child. Your blood has nothing I want. Cat is my friend. I look at you as a child amongst my people. I watched you grow and looked after you and Marcus when you were young. If you would like, you can stay at my home in Romania. No cost, blood or otherwise."

"Thank you."

He nodded and looked around the room "By the way, this room is soundproof. Your telling Bones."

"I-"

"You will be ready in one hour, if we linger there could be a… Disagreement."

He turned and opened the door.

I had been with Vlad for several weeks he kept true to his word and charged me nothing. He had actually left me completely alone which satisfied me considerably. Most of the time he was in his wing and we only came together at meal time. It was the serenity that I needed. The space to think. Marcus and Mira had been the only visitors I accepted. Once.

The only person I really wanted around wasn't there and wasn't coming. I hadn't heard from Term since the night he left. I hadn't even heard from the pack. When I left Canada I left his mother standing in surprise in the doorway, standing helpless as Bones yelled, Spade threatened retribution and Vlad flamed.

She was lost in the frustration, but she had known just as well as I did that Term wasn't going to come back. Christmas had come and gone and we were working towards Valentines Day.

"How are you feeling?" Vlad entered the drawing room on a lazy afternoon.

"Fine." I didn't bother with more than a glance in his direction. I remained gazing out the window in front of me. There was a lonely bird in the garden, singing her song for a mate.

"Marcus said that we should be expecting your little friend soon-"

"I'm not due for another month." I snapped. There was no way that I was having this baby without Term here. I didn't think I could do it without him.

"Weather your due or not. I was repeating what I had been told." He glared at me. "You need to prepare yourself. He won't be here."

"Leave me alone." I whispered, more to myself than him.

He gave me a once over before he turned on heal and left the room.

I woke up 2 nights later with a stabbing pain in my abdomen. I couldn't control my breathing and I could feel my heart rate accelerate. After a few minutes of the pain I screamed.

Vlad was at my side in seconds. His hands gripping at my forearms holding me upright as I almost fell to the ground in pain. It course through my body in excruciating waves.

When the pain began to subside I noticed what he had been wearing. "Purple pajama bottoms? Really?"

"Even I like nice pajamas. The color is enjoyable and they are comfortable. Do I need to ask what happened?"

"I had some pain." I laid back into my pillow taking shallow breaths. "It's gone now."

"It only lasted a minute." His eyes widened just a little before he became all business. "I will call Tate."

"I don't _want _Tate." I rolled over, closed my eyes. Of course I didn't want Tate. I knew what was coming, Marcus had predicted it. I wanted Term. I needed him.

Vlad watched me for a few more minutes as I pretended that the pain wasn't coming back, although it was, in full force. "I want to sleep." My breathing came heavier again and I tried to hold my breath through it.

"You are going to have a long night, Child." He removed himself from my room with one last parting message. "There will be no sleeping."

I was completely alone.

For 4 hours I laid in the bed, paced the room and kept going to the bathroom. When I started to bleed I knew it was time to call for help.

"Vlad." I didn't have to yell. He could hear me.

"I have already called Tate. He is on his way. Cat will be here in 4 hours as well." He came in the room with towels and wash clothes, working all businesslike. "Bones and Marcus are a little preoccupied with business at the moment."

"I'm bleeding and having this pain every 4 minutes." I cried. "I'm bleeding and it hurts. I can't wait that long." My breath were short and ragged.

"I have a birthing doctor here, but she hasn't birthed a child since 1896."

"1896?" I suddenly felt even more panicked as a new wave of pain hit me like a slap in the face. "God, just get her! If she can get this baby out fine!"

He left the room to retrieve the woman, or thing in question.

When I was alone again I sobbed, "Term, where are you?"

Another 3 hours later I was writhing in the bed. In fluids that I had no idea would or could come out of me. I was screaming and grabbing whatever I could to throw.

Vlad stood as the quiet observant in the corner. He seemed somewhat amused at the pain I was in. Needless to say the items I threw were directed at him. _Son-of-a-bitch!_

I had been trying to push for almost an hour now and nothing was coming out. The "Birthing Doctor," as Vlad had referred to her as, was trying to calm me down, but that wasn't working.

I have had limbs broken, been thrown from some pretty major altitudes and even been shot in the head. Those things were nothing compared to this. Those pains were short lived. This pain wasn't going away until this baby came out of me.

"Rose, Darling," Her Romanian accent seemed thicker than Vlad's as she tried to calm me from the foot of the bed. "You need to relax so you can push."

"Can't you just pull it out?" I screamed.

She giggled a little and I thought I heard a snicker from Vlad. I did _not_ find it amusing at all. It hurt like hell.

"No, you need to push." She spoke softly, "Your body heals quickly, so you need to push more vigorously child."

After another 40 minutes of pushing my child's cries filled the room and all I could think of was sleep. I needed to sleep. Term wasn't here. There wasn't going to be that happy moment of father holding daughter. I just needed to sleep.

When I woke up at some point during the day there was a familiar presence in the room with me.

"She's beautiful, Rose." Cat's voice came from the corner where Vlad had been. "5lbs 4 oz."

I picked up my head to look at her. She smiled from a rocker that someone had placed in the corner where Vlad had been standing.

Suddenly her smile faded as she watched me. I knew what she could hear, I heard it too, but I didn't fight it, "Rose!"

When I came to again it was still light out. Vlad stood over me with Tate doing chest compressions as Cat cried. I couldn't see her, but I could hear. She wasn't in the room.

"Damnit, Rose!" Tate was pissed, but began to relax as he sat back against the foot of the bed. Someone had cleaned it all while I had slept. "Don't do that again!"

I didn't speak. I just rolled over and brought my purpling hands up to cover my face.

I didn't need to ask what had happened. I had already known. Unfortunately, I knew before it even happened.

There were a few hours of supervision from Tate and Vlad, but when I got to my feet and started to move around they went about their business.

I showered and clothed. Using a pad had never been my cup of tea. I had only had one period and now I needed to basically wear a diaper until the bleeding stopped. Which would only be a day or so since I was an unnaturally quick healer.

When I came out from the bathroom Cat sat in the corner again, baby in arms. "She's hungry." She looked at me warily. "She needs you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you need to feed her." She glanced at me again as a tiny cry came from the bundle in her arms. _She needs me?_

I shook my head. "I don't know how."

"It's easy," She smiled coyly as I started to tear. "But if you would rather bottle feed her, we can do that too."

"No, I can do it." I moved to the bed and sat down as Cat sat the baby in my arms. _My baby. My little girl. _She seemed so tiny and so soft and fragile.

"Lift your shirt and she'll latch on."

I did as told and she did as well. As I held her there I looked at her for the first time. Seeing her little round face content as she drank.

Dark brown hair curled up in wisps. "She has his hair." I started to cry.

"His eyes too." Cat touched my shoulder to try to calm me.

"My nose." I smiled. Pointing out the little button that she had.

"Your cry too." Cat laughed softly then stiffened. "You scared me earlier."

"I know." I had seen it in her face. I was still seeing it there.

"I know that your hurting, because he isn't here." She continued her wary gaze as she sat next to me on the bed, "But there's more going on. He isn't here for a reason."

"Because I screwed up."

She shook her head. "No, that's not it. I can't get into it, but you need to know that there is a reason that he isn't here with you."

I thought about it for a moment, "You know what? I'm tired of people not being strait forward with me."

"Me too," She smiled ruefully, I could see pain there behind her smile. "But we have a baby to take care of and let's just pray that your grandmother doesn't find out or we'll never get rid of her." She rolled her eyes.

We both laughed quietly, it was a peaceful sound.

A week later my call phone rang. It was 2 am and I had just fed Aisling and put her back to sleep. Cat had been right. Her eyes were a deep brown, just like Term's. She had been watching me intently for around an hour and I couldn't put her down as those nearly black eyes stared up at me. I couldn't look away either until she had closed her eyes the final time, nodding off.

"Yeah?"

"Rose, it's Reggie." He sounded hurried, but it underlined with concern. "How are you?"

"What's going on?" No need to tell him anything. I owed him nothing.

"Well…" He froze as if pondering. "We have a bit of an issue."

"And this issue would be?"

"Can you sit down please? I don't want you go into labor or anything." _Boy, was he going to be surprised. _

"Don't worry about that." _No problem here. _"What's going on Regg?" I asked cautiously.

"Term's in trouble. We haven't been able to track him for over a month. He can't _or won't _shift and we have a pretty good idea of where he is, but we don't know for certain. Bones and Marc went to check it out and we can't get any information from either of them."

"Really?" I asked slowly. _Term was in trouble. Was that why he hadn't been here. _"Where was he last?"

"Well at first we knew his motives and were able to hold him off incase we needed you, but he said-" I didn't care what he had said anymore. He didn't want me. He had left. He made the pack leave. He wasn't here for me. Not when I needed him.

"WHERE IS HE?" I was done playing nice. He needed to cut to the chase.

"We aren't sure, but we think Johan has him and the only way to have kept him there... He's gotta' be weak if he can't shift, Rose."

"Would something like blood loss and silver keep him weak?"

"It could kill him given the right amounts."

"I'm calling Tate. They are getting you guys and WE are going to get him." It wasn't a question.

"What about the-" I hung up before he could ask. They didn't need to know. Term didn't want me, he wanted the baby. His next Alpha, but I wasn't going to let him waste away if that's where he was.

As soon as I hung up with Regulous I dialed Tate's number.

"Tate."

"I know something you don't know." I taunted, not even giving him time to speak. We had no time. I needed to get Term out of there.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I exited the copter with baby in basket. Thank the lord for headsets. She was content, sleeping soundly in her car seat.

Tate met me as I made my way through the halls of the base. "She looks good."

"I didn't know how she would take it, but with the headset you gave us she didn't flinch once." Tate led me to his office.

"What's the plan?" Marcus was there waiting with Spade as we opened the door. They must have heard us coming.

"We go in and get him the fuck out! That's the plan." I snapped rudely. At least I could admit that it was rude.

"Who's staying with the infant?" Spade asked. I could tell that he didn't agree with what I was doing, but I needed to do it.

"Is Gram here?"

"Of course I am, Dear." She walked in at that moment, "You need to be careful out there, Rose. We don't need you disappearing."

"I will be," Which brought me to my next question. "Where's the pack?"

"Hear the copter?" Spade asked sarcastically.

"Let's go meet them. I don't want them to know about the baby."

"Why the bloody hell not?" Spade continued to give me an incredulous look.

"I have my reasons." _Like the fact that I didn't want him to be with me because of the baby and there was no way I was leaving her. _"Let's go." If he didn't love me after seeing my full vampy mode today, fine. If he couldn't handle what I was fine, but I wasn't going to allow him to stick around just for our child. He would hate me even more in the long run.

On the way down we met up with Cat and Bones. Marcus gave me and everyone else the briefs. We had our team from the base working with us so it was going to be a little easier than I had originally thought. When you have a team of vampires and wolves with you things tend to move a little easier.

We didn't have Mencheres this time, but we had a small army and we were going to get Term. I could fight this time which I hadn't been able to do before and this was my fight. If I didn't fight this Vampire he would keep coming after us. After my family. Until he got to me and I couldn't allow that.

When we made it to the hanger I was flanked by 20 vamps and ghouls, but what bothered me was the looks of wonder and sadness that I got from six sets of eyes that watched me approach.

I had lost weight. Since Aisling was born last week I hadn't really eaten at all. I was feeding for my substance again. Food was important, but blood kept my vampire strong.

I wore my leather pants and a bodice that covered my stomach but didn't have any straps, so my arms could move freely. No one would know that the bodice was my armor. It looked like a normal shirt, but the bulletproofing was taught on the inside. I left my hair down, because it seemed more intimidating when my eyes went green. Plus, it just looked hot in general.

"Rose-" Courtney gave me a look of withdrawal.

"Let's get him out of there, then I can get back to my life." I looked into her face as she started to tear. I knew what she was thinking. I should still be pregnant and I looked like I hadn't been for months. I fought back my sadness and anger. I wanted to run to her side and hug her. I had missed her, but I couldn't let on. They had left me. Sure it was due to orders, but she still could have picked up a phone and called. This distance between u was fully their doing.

"Plan?" Regulous choked out raising his head to meet my eyes.

"I'll be with the wolves when we arrive." I said quietly.

"You can't-" Bones began to protest, but it was short lived.

"Don't start that crap with me!" I started yelling at the crowd around us. "This is MY mission! He was mine! I'm calling the shots!" I let my power wash over me like a blanket.

Everyone had piled into 3 copters. Some of them didn't like the idea of what we were about to do. They didn't speak their concern, but I could hear it in their thoughts.

No one spoke to me on the way there. Which was good. Listening to their mental ramblings had brought me to my snapping point. Anymore and I would loose it. I was ready!

When we arrived at the gate it was nearly dusk. I could sense Term. I knew he was there. He was in pain. It must have shown across my face, because Marcus's emerald eyes bore into mine.

Why he kept Term in the same home he had kept my brother was beyond me. Normally the vamps moved around, keeping their actions low. This guy _wanted_ to be found. He wanted to be on my radar.

"Rose-"

"Silver. It holds the shifters too. He's bleeding." I snarled as I felt the green flush my irises. "Heavily." His thoughts were dark. He was close to dying.

"Where do we go?" Reggie asked from behind me.

"You come with me." I told him before I moved to the group. "All of you will head in the front. There are about thirty vampires and 6 ghouls in that house. Another few scattered through the property he has been keeping his guard up since Marcus, but I can't hear Johan anywhere." He was the one I needed. He needed to die, before he could anyone else from me. "If you can take one hostage. We need to find him."

"He isn't there. He never was." Marcus spoke quietly at my side.

"They are expecting us, leave only one alive. This fight _will _be over today. Understood!" It wasn't a question, although I got a lot of head nods from my boys in black. "The wolves and I will go around the back." When no one moved I noticed Bones had crossed his arms and stood his ground. I glared.

"_HE _may be here now," I pointed a finger at Bones. "But I am still in charge of this unit."

"It's not him, Rogue." One of my guys whispered.

"Who-" I started to ask as Cat stood tall and barked.

"You heard the lady. MOVE, BOYS!"

They did, with a mild hesitation. After they had flanked into the large house at the top of the hill I moved to Regulous. "We don't have much time. I need you to shift."

"You gave the order." He nodded and turned to his family and gave a nod. They took their wolf forms, not bothering to take off their clothing, it all ripped.

"_I know you can communicate with us."_

"Of course I can. Let's go. I think he's around the back. The guest house."

Sure enough as I got closer to the spare house around the back I could smell his blood and almost feel his pain with him.

The fights going on inside the house were clear in my mind as my soldiers and family held their own. I had lost two soldiers already. I was going to loose more if we didn't hurry.

As we ran closer the pain Term was feeling washed over me in rivers. It was so overwhelming that my knees buckled and I fell to the ground. "I have to shut down."

"_You can't turn off our communication." _Adam stood next to me growling. _"We're relying on you."_

"I'm still here aren't I?" I looked into the wolf's eyes and could see his fear as his brothers fought. He had been ordered to guard me. Not by the man that was in pain in the back house, but by his Beta. He wan't backing down, nor was he letting me.

"He_ needs you." _Courtney had moved to my other side. As we made our way through. Her silvery coat was covered in the blood of an unknown vamp. Her heartfelt words gave me the power to stand and move once again. Term needed me. He may not love me anymore and wouldn't want me, but he needed me now. I couldn't let him down.

"Let's go."

Term

As if the chains wrapped around my arms and legs weren't bad enough I had silver spikes drawn into my arms as well. It was done so that I couldn't shift. I had lost a lot of blood and my senses were fading faster now.

I could hear rumblings outside as something snarled and for an instant I thought, just maybe, that my brothers had come, but then I remembered the dogs that had found me out when I first came here. _No it couldn't be them. _I was dying and would never see my family again or lay my eyes on Rose again, or my child for even the first time.

As the snarling grew closer I panicked. Someone was coming and I could no longer lift my limbs to defend myself. I was stuck through and through with silver. They were coming to finally kill me off. I held my breath and the sounds grew closer and closer.

As the door burst open I saw an angel in black, her hair gleamed red in the sun that streaked through the door. As her power caressed me I couldn't look away. The sight was riveting. She was flanked by wolves as they snarled at the sight of my blood and the silver that they couldn't touch.

"Regg, Guard the door!" She spoke to the wolves as she moved to undo the chains around my arms. "We don't need any surprises."

She wasn't looking at me. This beautiful creature with the paling skin and emerald irises wouldn't look me in the eye. _Why? I love her. My love saved me. _Suddenly the power that caressed me left the room completely. She shut down. The vampire was gone.

When she finished untying me I fell to the ground, unable to hold myself up. She moved to the spikes in my arms and legs sighing heavily as if it hurt her too. She pulled slowly as though it wouldn't bring so much pain. I screamed.

"I need you to drink some of my blood." She was all business. She grabbed one of the sliver thin daggers that had been in my arm and sliced her wrist holding it to my mouth. I didn't protest, although I should have. What about… "It won't heal you perfectly, but it will work enough to get you moving again. We need to get you to the cars and away from here. Another vamp can help you from there."

"The baby?" I broke away and really looked at her for the first time since she'd come in. She was leaning too close, my head was in her lap. There was nothing in between us, she should have been heavily pregnant by now.

Her eyes slowly silvered, still speckled with green as she began to tear, "Get him to the vans." She spoke frantically, helping me up and pushing me to the wolves.

She had lost the baby. She lost the baby and I wasn't there for her. I had run a fool's errand that no one should have done alone. I had gotten myself caught and let her down. I lost my family trying to save our future. I had hurt her in more than my getting caught and I was going to pay for it, she would never forgive me.

"Rose-"

"You will all receive instructions when you reach the van. Go, I've already lost enough today without loosing any of you." She moved ahead of us, running into the house as her power heightened again. "He needs blood! GO!"

"Where is Rose?" Juan asked as he waited at the first van. We all jumped in quickly. The back of the van was filled with IV hookups and I knew the vampire was there for me. I was nearly dead from my revelations and the run across the field hadn't helped any. "She's supposed to be with you. I can't leave without-" His eyes jot to the vehicle behind us a she hopped in. "Never mind. Let's go!"

"She's in the one behind us?" I asked a we skidded away.

Having shifted back, we all settled into the back of the van. They had several pairs of sweats waiting for us. It took my remaining energy to slide on a pair of pants.

"Here bro." Juan had sliced his arm open to give me more blood, I grimaced, but drank anyway. He tasted sweet, but it wasn't the same as Rose. She was sweet with a kick of something more. Something I couldn't place.

After I healed I was hooked up to an IV and packed onto a helicopter. Still not with Rose. I knew that she was avoiding me.

It was hours before anyone spoke. I needed to break the silence, I was driving myself crazy. "Where are we going?"

"We're taking you home." Juan just stared out the window, "She asked Tate to fallow. He's behind us. You'll be fine, but she wants him to make sure."

"Where is she going?"

"Back to the base to check in and collect some things," He gave me a dry smile before he finished, "Then she's off to Romania."

"Romania?" What the hell was in Romania? Her parents lived in England.

"She's staying with Dracula until it's safe for her to go home. She's safer there. " He shrugged, wagging his fingers at me. "The whole flame thing."

"When did it happen?" I knew I was torturing myself to find out, but I needed to know how long she'd been living with this burden without me.

"About a month after you left."

"I need to go to the base!" It was urgent. I needed to see her. I needed to hold her, despite the fact that she wouldn't want me after this. She needed to know that I still loved her. That she had been in my thoughts this entire time.

"Sorry, we have our orders."

"Fuck orders!" I moved to stand. Juan put a hand on my shoulder, he was too fast. There was something sharp in my neck. Everything went black.

Rose

I couldn't answer him when he had asked. I couldn't tell him and hope that he would stick around to be there for me and not just his child.

I kept trying to tell myself that it was better this way. Aisling could still grow up happily. Hell, I grew up with no parents. When she asked, of course I would tell her about her father. I would tell her how great of a man he was. How he would have loved her. I would even tell her that it was all my fault that we weren't together. If she chose to move to live near her father I would be okay with it. It was her right to know.

When the copter landed at the base I ran strait to get her and didn't take any chances getting her out of there right away. I couldn't face anyone. I wanted to be alone. Term was safe and Aisling was in her little seat being toted into the copter as another one landed on the other end of the landing pad.

"Fuck!" I slid her carrier into the space allotted to buckle her, slamming the door shut and almost getting my foot caught in the process. I knew that copter too well. Term was in it. Something had to have happened in order for them to change direction. "Go!"

With a "Yes, Mam!" The copter started up. I could see the bodies of his family piling out as the laid his limp body onto the pad. He should have been healed. I closed my eyes at the sight as we took air and flew off.

_I prayed._ For the first time since I was a child I prayed. I needed him to be okay.

As soon as the copter landed and we were safely on the ground again I made the call.

"Juan, what happened back there?"

"He's fine, Niña. He just got a little excited and I had to calm him down."

"What did you do to him?" I ground out. I wasn't too excited about what I had seen and I had 6 hour to register it all. Six lonely hours with nothing to entertain me but my thoughts.

"I used a mild tranquilizer. He came to within a few hours and was sent home." "Does he know anything?"

"Not a thing. Don't worry about it."

Everything was quiet for a two weeks. The base had their memorial services for the three men we had lost that day. I had attended them all and was worn out.

I planned on sitting to my own for the next two and tend to Aisling. Although I bit the bullet when Vlad asked me to sing. Which, believe it or not, became his early evening entertainment. He said that I sounded like a tortured soul when I sang and it comforted him to know he wasn't alone. Aisling seemed to like it too. She would fall asleep every night during this time.

We were upstairs when Vlad huffed and turned, moving downstairs to the door. I stopped singing, although Aisling protested with a whimper. Picking her up I moved closer to listen in and see who it was.

"Have we not been here before?"

"These are different circumstances, Mate." _Bones? _He sounded almost cheerful. "No criticizing your… Decorations this time."

"I understand Rose is still here." _Mencheres too?_

"She is." It was all Vlad said. It was all he needed to say.

"Can I see my wife?" _Term._

"No." Curt, but honest.

"Why?" Term ground out. "I can't even see her or talk to her?"

"She has come here to be alone."

"Bullocks!"

"Vlad, I think he needs to see her." _Cat. _

When I peaked around the corner Vlad was flaming. Literally as everyone stood in a semi-circle around him. Okay this was going a little too far.

"Please." Term's voice was quietly pleading, but his gaze was deadly.

"If she wanted to see you she would have gone to see you. I do not hold her here."

"Okay, stop it." I whispered as I showed myself, I knew that they could hear me when all of their faces turned in my direction.

It wasn't until Term's gaze fell on Aisling, still in my arms, that I remembered he didn't know. He had obviously spent the time with my family and he didn't know she was here.

His eyes grew incredulously wide before his features flattened again and anger took over. No one spoke a word for minutes as he stared at me. His eyes raking me and the child in my arms.

He suddenly moved his glare to the floor as he spoke. "Rose, get your stuff and let's go!"

"Why?"

"Rose, get in the damn car!" He looked around at everyone standing in Vlad's entryway and started to shake, "I'll be outside."

"What if I don't want to?"

"I'll give you ten minutes," He looked back at me as he held the door open to leave. "If you aren't there, I'm coming back in for you!" I wasn't a threat. The dead stare he gave me said it all.

I knew that I could hold my own, but I was terrified. More terrified than I had ever been of him. I packed my stuff, with Cat assisting and we went out to the SUV, baby in carrier.

Term was already seated in the far back where he had hooked in the other end of the seat. That sealed my fate. I was stuck back there with Term and baby. At least Aisling was in the middle. A buffer of sorts.

Term

She had my hair. _My eyes_. Rose had hidden it from me. For nearly 3 weeks I tortured myself with the thoughts that my child had died and my wife hated me. She may hate me, but all for another reason. My child was alive.

"She's crying." Rose seemed upset.

"Yeah?" I spoke through my teeth, not wanting to sound as angry as I was.

"She's hungry." She rolled her eyes. Pointing, as if it should have been obvious.

"Then feed her." I glared, grinding my teeth.

"Fine!" She snapped, taking the baby out of her seat and coddling her. She exposed her breast allowing the baby to latch on.

It should have embarrassed me to see her exposed breast out in the car with everyone around, but it didn't. She was caring for our child.

I suddenly found myself conflicted. Yes, Rose had hidden it from me. I wasn't sure why, but she had. On the other side this woman, this beautiful creature had given birth to my child. A beautiful little girl.

She must have felt me staring at her. "Okay, the tawny eyes need to go!"

I looked away staring out the window instead.

When she was finished and the baby was sleeping peacefully in her car seat again Rose Asked, "Where are we going anyway?"

"The airport." Bones scoffed from the seat in front of us. I may not like the man and god knows he hates me too, but he came through for me tonight. I was grateful, so I'd take his shit.

"Why?" She asked skeptical.

"I'm taking you to my house in Maine." Term bit out.

Silence consumed the remaining of the car ride and expanded through the flight.


End file.
